Pourquoi les termes du ballet sont-ils en français ?

La danse classique s'est codifiée à la cour de France au XVIIe siècle, avec l'Académie royale de danse fondée en 1661 sous Louis XIV. Le vocabulaire est resté en français dans le monde entier.

Quels termes apprendre en premier ?

Les cinq positions des pieds, le plié, le battement tendu, le relevé et le port de bras : ce sont les bases de chaque cours à la barre.

Quelle différence entre demi-pointe et pointes ?

La demi-pointe se fait sur la plante du pied, en chaussons souples, dès le premier cours. Les pointes se dansent sur l'extrémité des orteils, dans des chaussons rigides, après plusieurs années de pratique et sur avis du professeur.

Glossary of Classical Dance

The vocabulary of classical dance is in French in schools all over the world. Here are 77 terms explained simply, from basic positions to jumps and turns, in the order of a class: the barre, the center, then the allegro. For your first classes, you need classical dance shoes or demi-pointe shoes: our guide to choosing your first shoes helps you find the right pair.

Table of Contents: Positions and basics, Barre exercises, Center steps, Jumps, Turns, Poses, Stage, performance and attire.

Positions and basics

Turnout: Rotating the legs outward from the hip, the basis of all classical technique. The knees and toes face the sides.
First position: Heels together, toes open outward, in turnout.
Second position: Feet open on the same line, about one foot apart.
Third position: The heel of one foot placed against the middle of the other foot. Rarely used today, except with children.
Fourth position: One foot in front of the other, separated by about one foot, both in turnout.
Fifth position: Feet close together, one in front of the other, the heel of one against the toe of the other. This is the starting position for most steps.
Port de bras: The way the arms are held and moved, and the name of the exercises that work them.
Épaulement: The orientation of the shoulders and head relative to the hips, which gives dimension to the movement.
Croisé: The body positioned diagonally to the audience, with the legs seen crossed.
Effacé: The body positioned diagonally, with the legs seen open, the opposite of croisé.
En face: The body turned directly toward the audience or the mirror.
Front, à la seconde, back: The three basic directions of a leg: forward, to the side, backward.
Demi-pointe: Position on the ball of the foot, heel raised. Also refers to the soft shoe that allows it to be worked.
En pointe: Position on the tips of the toes, in pointe shoes with rigid boxes. It is worked after several years of classes, on the advice of the teacher.
Aplomb: Balance and verticality of the body, with the weight properly placed on the supporting leg.

Demi-pointe is worked in soft shoes from the first class. See our demi-pointe shoes and our classical dance shoes.

Barre exercises

Plié: Bending the knees, legs in turnout. The demi-plié keeps the heels on the floor, the grand plié lifts them (except in second position).
Tendu: The leg slides on the floor until the foot is extended, without leaving the floor, then returns.
Battement jeté: Like a tendu, but the leg leaves the floor at a low height. It is also called battement dégagé.
Rond de jambe: The leg draws a semicircle, on the floor (à terre) or in the air, outward (en dehors) or inward (en dedans).
Battement fondu: The supporting leg bends while the other folds at the ankle, then both stretch together.
Battement frappé: The foot starts from the ankle and strikes outward while extending, with energy.
Petit battement: Small, quick beats of the foot around the ankle of the supporting leg.
Développé: The leg goes through retiré then slowly unfolds at height, in front, to the side, or behind.
Grand battement: The extended leg is thrown high then comes down in control.
Relevé: Rising on demi-pointe or en pointe, with or without a plié beforehand.
Cambré: Bending the torso backward or to the side.
Cou-de-pied: Position of the working foot placed against the ankle of the supporting leg, in front or behind.
Retiré: The tip of the working foot placed near the knee of the supporting leg. It is also called passé when the foot goes from front to back.

Center steps

Adage: Slow and sustained sequence (adagio) that works balance, extension, and control.
Temps lié: Sequence of weight transfers from one position to another, in plié, with the arms.
Pas de bourrée: Small, quick three-step steps that serve as a transition, with a change of foot.
Glissade: Sliding transition step to the side, from one fifth position to another, which often prepares a jump.
Pas de basque: Ample three-step transition step, which comes from character dances.
Balancé: Three-step waltz step that sways from one side to the other.
Chassé: One leg slides and the other comes to join it by "chasing" it.
Coupé: One leg replaces another on the spot, to free the foot that will work.
Sous-sus: Relevé in a very tight fifth position, both legs like one.
Échappé: The feet open from fifth position to second (or fourth), in relevé or in jump, then close.
Promenade: Slow turn on the supporting leg while maintaining a pose, by small heel movements.
Révérence: End-of-class or performance bow, to the teacher, the pianist, or the audience.

Jumps

Allegro: Fast part of the class where small jumps then large jumps are sequenced.
Temps levé: Jump on one leg that lands on the same leg. On two feet, it is also called sauté.
Changement de pieds: Jump from fifth position, with a change of the front foot during the jump.
Assemblé: Jump that starts from one foot and lands on both feet together in fifth position.
Jeté: Jump from one leg to another. The grand jeté crosses the space, legs apart.
Sissonne: Jump that starts from both feet and lands on one, legs in scissors in the air.
Entrechat: Vertical jump where the legs cross quickly several times. Entrechat quatre, six: the number counts the crossings.
Royale: Small battu jump where the calves strike each other once before changing feet.
Cabriole: Jump where the supporting leg comes to strike the leg thrown in the air.
Pas de chat: Light jump where the legs fold one after another under the body, like a cat.
Saut de chat: Large jump forward, the front leg going through a développé, close to the grand jeté.
Brisé: Small battu jump that moves, forward or backward.
Emboîté: Successive small jumps from one leg to another, free leg bent in front or behind.
Ballon: Quality of a dancer who seems to remain suspended in the air during jumps.
Battu: Said of a step where the legs strike each other during the jump (assemblé battu, jeté battu).

Turns

Pirouette: Turn on one leg, the other in retiré. En dehors: toward the working leg; en dedans: toward the supporting leg.
Fouetté: Chained turn where the free leg whips to the side at each rotation. The 32 fouettés from Swan Lake are the best known.
Chaînés: Small quick chained turns on demi-pointe or en pointe, in line or diagonally. They are also called déboulés.
Piqué: Step where we go directly onto the demi-pointe or pointe of a straight leg, without plié.
Soutenu: Turn on both feet close together in fifth position, en relevé.
Tour en l'air: Vertical jump with one or two full turns, especially worked by the boys.
Spotting: Gaze technique in turns: we fixate on a point and the head turns last, to maintain balance and avoid dizziness.

Poses

Arabesque: Pose on one leg, the other extended behind, arms stretched forward. One of the iconic figures of ballet.
Attitude: Pose on one leg, the other raised in front or behind, knee bent at about 90 degrees.
Penché: Arabesque where the torso goes down forward while the leg goes up.
Écarté: Pose diagonally to the audience, the raised leg open to the side, diagonally.
Ligne: Harmony of the silhouette from the fingertips to the tips of the toes.

Stage, performance and attire

Variation: Solo danced by a female or male dancer in a ballet or a competition.
Pas de deux: Danced passage by a couple, generally with an entrance, an adage, two variations and a coda.
Coda: Final part, fast and brilliant, of a pas de deux or a ballet.
Corps de ballet: Ensemble of dancers who dance in a group, as opposed to the soloists.
Hierarchy of the Paris Opera: Quadrille, coryphée, sujet, premier danseur, then étoile, appointed by the management.
Tutu: Tulle skirt of ballet: long (romantic) or short and flat (classical).
Justaucorps: Close-fitting outfit that shows the placement, worn in class with tights.
Dance shoes: Soft shoes in leather or canvas, with a full sole or a split sole (bi-sole), to work demi-pointe.
Pointe shoes: Shoes with a rigid box and platform that allow dancing on the tips of the toes.
Drawstring: Elastic or lace passed through the hem of the shoe to adjust it to the foot.

To go from soft shoes to pointe shoes, read pointe or demi-pointe shoes: the differences and choosing your pointe shoes well. All types of shoes: the shoes of classical dance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are ballet terms in French?

Classical dance was codified at the French court in the 17th century, with the Académie royale de danse founded in 1661 under Louis XIV. The vocabulary remained in French around the world.

Which terms to learn first?

The five positions of the feet, the plié, the tendu, the relevé and the port de bras: these are the basics of every barre class.

What is the difference between demi-pointe and pointe?

Demi-pointe is done on the ball of the foot, in soft shoes, from the first class. Pointe shoes are danced on the tips of the toes, in rigid shoes, after several years of practice and on the advice of the teacher.

See also the dance glossary (salsa, tango, ballroom dances). Doubt about the size of your shoes? Write us the length of your foot at contact@dansezo.fr: we will tell you the size to choose according to the model.