A

Pronunciation

Description

adagio

ah•DAZJ•eh•oh

slow

a slow, sustained movement

allegro

ah•leh•GROH

fast

fast; jumps performed to a quick, sharp tempo

grand allegro - large jumps;petite allegro - small jumps

allongé

aa•lohn•JAY

to elongate; to stretch

arabesque

ah•rah•BESK

a pose on one leg with the other leg extended to the back; originally a flourished, curved line used in Arabic motifs

arrière,en

ahn ah•REHY•ehr

to the back

assemblé

ah•sahm•BLAY

to assemble;

a jump from one foot landing on two feet;

example: from 5th position brush the back leg to the side 45° as the supporting leg bends at the knee, then jump off the floor land on both legs in 5th position at the same time

attitude

ah•teh•TEWD

a pose on one leg with the other extended with the knee slightly bent either to the front, side or back

avant,en

ahn ah•VAHN

to the front

B

Pronunciation

Description

balancé

bah•lahn•SAY

to swing, to rock

a swinging 3 step movement that is usually done either on the musical tempo of 3/4 or 6/8

balançoire

bah•lahn•SWAHR

See-saw;

a movement that as the leg moves forward and backwards the body bends in the opposite direction;

example: begin with working leg to the back and the body leaning slightly forward, pass the leg through first position and straighten the body, then extend the leg to the front and the body leans Slightly backwards

ballonné

bah•lahn•NAY

expanded;from ballon - air balloon

a jump from one foot to the same foot as the other leg is extended outward and then returns to original position

example: from 5th position brush the front leg outwards as the other leg jumps off the floor, then landing on the same leg return the working leg to sur le cou-de-pieds

ballotté

bah•luh•TAY

to toss, to toss about

a jump that can be done from either one foot or two feet

example: from 5th position jump off the floor with both feet, extend the front leg either front, side or back by bending the knee and land on the back leg

basque,pas de

pas duh bahsk

step of the Basque (a country that lies between France and Spain)

a step that can be performed as a sliding movement on the floor or as a jump

example: right leg front 5th position - extend the right leg to the front as the supporting leg bends at the knee (demi-plié), make a quarter circle clock-wise (ronds de jambes à terre en dehors) moving the right leg to the side, step over on the right leg and bring the left leg's foot to the ankle of the right leg (sur le cou-de-pieds en avant), step forward (temps lié) on the left leg and extend the right leg back, close the right leg back fifth position

battement

baht•MAHN

movement of the leg

batterie

bah•TREE

battery;beating

a general term used to describe the beating of the legs

battu

bah•TEW

beaten;beat

a term used to describe certain steps and jumps - échappé battu (a jump from two feet with a beat before landing on two feet);

also a specific movement usually performed at the barre - battement battu: standing on one leg while the other leg beats against it

bourrée

boo•RAY

to tamp

a step done on the half-toe where one leg pulls the other leg to close both in a tight 5th position in a series of very small and rapid steps

bourrée suivi, pas de

pah duh boo•RAY

a movement done as a series of quick steps

bourrée,pas de

pah duh boo•RAY

a movement done in three steps

example: right leg back 5th position - pick up the back leg (coupé) to the back of the ankle of the supporting leg (sur le cou-de-pieds en arrière), step up on the right leg, step side on the left leg,close the right leg 5th position front

bourrée,pas de

pah deh boo•RAY

step of the bourrée (an Auvergne dance)

a movement composed of 3 steps

example: from 5th position demi-plié right foot back - lift the right foot sur le cou-de-pieds (neck of the foot -ankle), step up on it, step to the side with the left leg, then bring the right down to 5th position front in demi-plié

brisé

bree•ZAY

to break apart; to burst

a beating jump from 5th position to 5th position traveling either forward or backwards

example: right foot back 5th position on the diagonal - throw the back leg forward and while traveling forward beat the supporting leg to the working leg and then land with the working leg back in 5th position

C

Pronunciation

Description

cabriole

kah•BREE•ohl

caper; leap

a beating jump from one leg to the same leg

example: hold one leg off the floor and then jump up with the supporting leg , beat it against the other and land back on the original supporting leg

chaîné

shah•NAY

to chain;

series of connected movements

example: make half-turns in 1st position traveling to the side very quickly

changé

shahn•ZJAY

to change

changement

shahnzj•MAHN

alteration

a jump from 5th position, changing the legs and landing in 5th position

chassé

shah•SAY

to glide

a smooth gliding movement that can be done either front, side or back

example: with one leg in the front and extended forward of the other leg - step forward on the extended leg, pull both legs together traveling forward in the air, then land on the back leg with front leg extended forward

chat, pas de

pah duh shah

step of the cat

a jump from one foot to the other and when in the air both feet are off the ground

example: right leg front 5th position - pull the right leg up sharply to the knee and then extend it to the side with the knee slightly bent, jump of the left leg bringing it up to meet the right leg with its knee slightly bent, land on the right leg and then bring the left leg front 5th position

cheval, pas de

pah de shuh•VAHL

step of the horse

a movement that can be done on the floor or as a jump, and at 45°, 90° or 120°

example: right leg front 5th position - pull the right leg up sharply to the supporting leg's ankle, extend it forward and touch the floor with the toes, then close it 5th position front

cinq

sank

five

cinquième

sank•ee•em

fifth

ciseaux, pas de

pah deh see•ZJOH

scissors; step of the scissors

a jump from one leg where both legs pass each other forward in the air and landing on one leg

example: step on left leg, pass right leg through 1st position to the front 45° or 90° off the floor, jump up with the left leg passing the right leg, then land on the right leg and pass the left leg through 1st position to the back 45° or 90° off the floor

cloche, en

ahn klohsh

bell; as a bell

a rocking, swinging motion like a bell

example: balançoire en cloche - execute balançoire but with the upper torso swinging in large arcs in the opposite direction of the leg

contretemps

kahn•trah•TAHN

contrary step

a step from one direction that quickly changes to the other

example: facing down-room corner with right leg crossed in front of the left leg - step forward on the right leg, in a clock-wise circle move the left leg forward of the right leg and change directions to face the other down-room corner, step on the left leg and pass the right leg forward

coté, de

deh koh•TAY

to the side

cou-de-pieds, sur le

surh leh koo•deh•pehay

upon the neck of the foot

sur le cou-de-pieds side, back or front

coupé

koo•PAY

to cut

a movement that calls for the foot to be sharply pull off the floor and placed either in front or back of the ankle

couru, pas

pah koo•REW

step to travel; to pursue

a movement that is quick and light, traveling across the floor

example: step on the right foot and quickly pass the left then right forward - this step can also be done with 5 or 7 quick steps

croisé

krawh•ZAY

to cross

a position that requires the dancer to face on the diagonal and have one leg crossed in front of the other

croix, en

ahn krawh

in a cross shape

a term used to describe a movement that is done to the front, side, back and again side