Common ballet & jazz terms
Dancing Princesses
1. Ballet – theatrical work with dancers, costumes, and scenery creating movement and expression
2. Ballerina – female dancer
3. Tutu – Classical/Romantic ballet costume
4. Barre – horizontal wooden bar in the classroom in which the dancer holds for support
5. Port de Bras – carriage of the arms
6. Plie – to bend the knees
7. Demi Plie – little bend of the knees
8. Releve - to rise
9. Pique – to prick your toes, “fast points”
10. Passe – to pass
11. Demi Pointes – standing on the balls of your feet “half pointes”
12. Arabesque – basic ballet pose
13. Temps lie – step to connect
14. Diagonale – in a diagonal progression
15. Adagio- slow and graceful movements, at ease
16. Allegro – fast, lively, brisk movements of the feet and legs
17. Chasse – to chase the feet
18. Pas Marche - marching movement
19. Saute – jumping, small spring
20. Echappe – to escape in a jump
21. Reverence – to bow, curtsey
Tiny Ballerinas
(Including all of the above)
1. Danse – dance
2. Corps – body
3. Turn out – ability to turn the legs out from the hip joints
4. Bras – arms
5. Tendu – to stretch the feet out without bending the knee, turned out
6. a la seconde – placed to the side (arms and feet)
7. Cou-de-pied – “neck of the foot” “smores” “dip in dots”
8. Demi Rondes – half round, half circle
9. Jambe - leg
10. Rond de jambe – round, circular movement of the leg, capital letter D
11. en Dehors – outward, clockwise “out the door”
12. en Dedans – inward, counter clockwise
13. Bourree – to tamp, small steps in demi pointe
14. Grand Battement – Big beat
15. Emboite – to fit in, joining, jumping movement from one foot to the other “Spring Points”
16. Derriere – back direction
17. Devant – front direction
18. Grand – big
19. Grand Jete – big throwing leap, split in the air
20. First Port de Bras – 1st, 3rd, 2nd arm positions (Vangonava Method)
Beginning Ballet I
(Including all the above)
1. Grand Plie –Large bend of the knees
2. en Croix – in the shape of a cross
3. Coupe – to cut
4. Battement – beating
5. Battement tendu jete – working foot rises about 4 inches from the floor with a well pointed toe, then slides back into the starting position
6. Supporting Leg – leg that supports the body, “standing leg” usually the inside leg at the barre,
7. Working Leg – leg that is moving, usually the outside leg at the barre
8. Fondu – to melt
9. A terre – on the ground, floor
10. en l’air – in the air
11. Rond de jambe a terre - round, circular movement of the leg on the ground
12. Rond de jambe en l’air – round, circular movement of the leg in the air
13. Developpe – to develop, developing movement
14. Ecarte – separated, thrown wide apart
15. Croise – to cross
16. Efface – shaded
17. en Avant – forward
18. en Arriere - backwards
19. Pas – step
20. Pas Balance – rocking step
21. Changement – change of the feet in jump
Dancing Princesses
1. Ballet – theatrical work with dancers, costumes, and scenery creating movement and expression
2. Ballerina – female dancer
3. Tutu – Classical/Romantic ballet costume
4. Barre – horizontal wooden bar in the classroom in which the dancer holds for support
5. Port de Bras – carriage of the arms
6. Plie – to bend the knees
7. Demi Plie – little bend of the knees
8. Releve - to rise
9. Pique – to prick your toes, “fast points”
10. Passe – to pass
11. Demi Pointes – standing on the balls of your feet “half pointes”
12. Arabesque – basic ballet pose
13. Temps lie – step to connect
14. Diagonale – in a diagonal progression
15. Adagio- slow and graceful movements, at ease
16. Allegro – fast, lively, brisk movements of the feet and legs
17. Chasse – to chase the feet
18. Pas Marche - marching movement
19. Saute – jumping, small spring
20. Echappe – to escape in a jump
21. Reverence – to bow, curtsey
Tiny Ballerinas
(Including all of the above)
1. Danse – dance
2. Corps – body
3. Turn out – ability to turn the legs out from the hip joints
4. Bras – arms
5. Tendu – to stretch the feet out without bending the knee, turned out
6. a la seconde – placed to the side (arms and feet)
7. Cou-de-pied – “neck of the foot” “smores” “dip in dots”
8. Demi Rondes – half round, half circle
9. Jambe - leg
10. Rond de jambe – round, circular movement of the leg, capital letter D
11. en Dehors – outward, clockwise “out the door”
12. en Dedans – inward, counter clockwise
13. Bourree – to tamp, small steps in demi pointe
14. Grand Battement – Big beat
15. Emboite – to fit in, joining, jumping movement from one foot to the other “Spring Points”
16. Derriere – back direction
17. Devant – front direction
18. Grand – big
19. Grand Jete – big throwing leap, split in the air
20. First Port de Bras – 1st, 3rd, 2nd arm positions (Vangonava Method)
Beginning Ballet I
(Including all the above)
1. Grand Plie –Large bend of the knees
2. en Croix – in the shape of a cross
3. Coupe – to cut
4. Battement – beating
5. Battement tendu jete – working foot rises about 4 inches from the floor with a well pointed toe, then slides back into the starting position
6. Supporting Leg – leg that supports the body, “standing leg” usually the inside leg at the barre,
7. Working Leg – leg that is moving, usually the outside leg at the barre
8. Fondu – to melt
9. A terre – on the ground, floor
10. en l’air – in the air
11. Rond de jambe a terre - round, circular movement of the leg on the ground
12. Rond de jambe en l’air – round, circular movement of the leg in the air
13. Developpe – to develop, developing movement
14. Ecarte – separated, thrown wide apart
15. Croise – to cross
16. Efface – shaded
17. en Avant – forward
18. en Arriere - backwards
19. Pas – step
20. Pas Balance – rocking step
21. Changement – change of the feet in jump
