Terminology of Ballet

Terms to Know:

1. Plié: An exercise in which the dancer bends her knees and then straightens them.

• Demi-Plié: A half bend of the knees.

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• Grand Plié: A full bend of the knees . The heels are lifted when the full bend is reached (except in the second position, where they remain on the floor) and are then pushed back down to the floor as the dancer passes through a demi-plie and straightens the knees.

2. Battement Tendu ("tendu"): an exercise in which the leg is extended to the front, side or back and generally repeated several times. When the leg is fully extended, the knee should be straight with the foot pointed.

3. Degagé: To disengage. In-between a tendu and a grande battement, the foot slightly leaves the floor.

4. Ronds de Jambe à Terre: The movement of the leg in a circular pattern.

• Ronds de Jambe (en Dehors): A version of the Ronds de Jambe in which the foot does the reverse movements, starting with tendu back. The dancer begins in first position with her left hand on the barre and tendus her right foot to the front, then traces the pattern of a circle as she moves her leg to the side, to the back, and then back to first position.

• Ronds de Jambe (en Dedans): A version of the Ronds de Jambe in which the foot does the reverse movements, starting with tendu back.

5. Positions: There are five basic feet positions in ballet and there are also five basic arm positions.

• First Position Feet: A position in which the balls of the feet are turned out completely so that the heels touch each other and the feet face outward, trying to form a straight line.

• Second position (en seconde) Feet: In second position for the feet, the balls of both feet are turned out completely, with the heels separated by the length of one foot. This is similar to first position, but the feet are spread apart.

• Third Position Feet: A position in which one foot is placed in front of the other foot. The heel of the front foot should touch the middle of the back foot.

• Fourth Position Feet: A position in which the feet are placed as in fifth position but they are separated by the length of one foot.

• Fifth Position Legs: A position in which one foot is placed in front of the other, with both feet touching and the toes of each foot lined up with the heel of the other.

6. Port de bras: Literally "carriage of the arms". Sometimes misspelled "porte-bras". An exercise for the movement of the arms to different positions, it is considered a simple movement but a dancer works hard to make it seem graceful, poised and seamless. The basic port de bras exercise moves from fifth en bas to first arm position, to second arm position, then back down to fifth en bas. A full port de bras moves from fifth en bas to fifth overhead and back down but a variation of sequence is common.

7. Cambre: a bend from the waist to the back or the side.