ILLUSTRATED GLOSSARY OF DANCE TERMS

Acrobatic gymnastics draws upon all the dance disciplines for their choreographing of routines. However, ballet is the backbone of all dance. The barre exercises are used to strengthen the dancers, as well as to train them in dance steps used for routines. Center work refers to the dance steps and combinations that are trained away from the barre.

Arabesque (ah-ra-BESK) - Balance on one leg with the other leg raised backwards to near horizontal. Chest is kept high, as close to vertical as possible.

Attitude - Position of the free leg in a balance skill, bend at knee, thigh parallel to the floor, knee turned out. Front attitude - free leg in front of body. Back attitude - free leg in back of body. Forward - The free leg is rotated outward and the knee is held in front at least at a 90° angle to the support leg. The knee is slightly flexed with toes pointed. Backward: The free leg is rotated outward and the knee is held in back at least at a 90° angle to the support leg. The knee is slightly flexed with toes pointed.

Assemble (ah-som-BLAY) - Take off jumping from one foot, swing free leg forward to horizontal and bring the feet together in the air or just as the feet land.

Basic Stand: Stand with the legs together and extended, torso erect, head neutral.

Bend: Flexing the trunk with a curvature of the spine -forward, sideward, or backward.

Body Wave: Executed from a contraction of the trunk, which is released by moving the body segments in succes­sion to reach full extension.
Backward - Contracting backward (back bend), then releasing the contraction by moving the hips, upper torso and head in succession backward and downward, (se­quential action)
Forward - Contracting forward, then releasing the contraction by moving the hips, upper torso and head in succession forward and upward, (sequential action)
Sideward - Contracting sideward (side bending), then releasing the contraction by moving the hips, upper torso and head in succession sideward and upward (or down­ward into a contraction to the opposite side.) (Sequential action).

Cabriole: Large beating of the legs forward at the calves.

Cat Leap: Hitchkick with knees bent in front of the body.

Chaine Turns (Tour Chaines): (sheh-NAY) Fast 180° turns on the balls of the feet, moving across the floor in the same direction.

Chasse' - Step and push off from one foot, closing the free foot in the air behind the take-off foot. Land on take-off foot in demiplie.

Contraction:
Backward - retract the back muscles forward, (arch backward)
Forward - retract the abdominal wall backward
Sideward - retract the side muscles sideward

Demi-plie: See Plie

Develope: (dev-loh-PAY) Flexing the knee to touch the toe to the inside of the ankle or to the knee of the support­ing foot, followed by an extension to any direction. Legs are always turned out.

Dynamic: (Quality) Applying a high level of effort in order to move with strength and speed.

En dedans: (on-de-DAN) (inward) Moving in direction of the support leg. Right turn on Right foot. Left turn on Left foot.

En dehores (on-de-OR) (outward) Moving in the direction opposite to the support leg. Right turn on Left foot; Left turn on Right foot.

Fouette" -180° jump turn from one foot to the same foot originating with forward swing of the free leg to horizontal or higher, then 180° turn in the air in the same direction as the take-off leg.On the peak of the flight, the trunk executes the 1/2 turn holding the swing leg stationary in the rear. The flight should travel only vertically. Land in arabesque.

Glissade: (Glee-SAHD) (glide) 3rd position demi-plie. Stretch the working foot along the floor to 2nd position with extended toes, immediately after body travels to­wards and onto working leg without lifting feet off floor, slide free foot closed to 3rd position.

Grand Jete: Split leap. Grand pile: See plie. Hitch kick: Jumping from one foot to the other while switching the legs in front of the body.

Hop: Jump from one foot and land on the same foot. Flight is vertical.

Lean: Inclining from the hips forward, sideward to back­ward with trunk straight.

Leap: Over-extended running step, with height in the air, executed from one foot to the opposite foot. Legs split 90° to 180° forward and backward.

Pas de Chat (Pah duh SHAH) (Cat Leap traveling sideward) Taking off trom one foot bending free leg under body, followed by take-off leg. Both legs bent turned outward in the air. Land on free leg followed by take-off leg.

Passe'-Position of free leg with foot touching support leg. Side passe' - toe of free foot touching ankle of support leg, knee turned out.

Pirouette - Longitudinal rotation of the body, as a dance element on one foot or as a strength element in handstand on the floor.

Plie' (plee-AY) - Bending of the knees while standing.
Demi-plie: done in all 5 positions of feet, slight flexion of the knees, knees turned outward, (used in preparation for jumps, turns and landings.)
Grand-pile: Begin as a demi-plie, when heels cannot remain on floor, the knees bend all the way as the heels lift, knees turned outward. (Leave heels on floor as long as possible)

Port de Bras: (por-duh-BRAH) (Position of arms) A series of arm movements performed in the five basic ballet positions.

Releve: (ruh-leh-VAY) (to rise) Moving up to the ball of the foot leg extended.

Rond de Jambe a Terre: (rohn-duh-zhahnb ah-TAIR) (around the leg) In 1st position, move the working leg forward and then describe an arc sideward through 2nd and rearward continue to bring foot straight forward to the starting position. (May move clockwise or counter clock­wise)

Scissor leap - See switch leg leap.

Skipping: A series of step hops connected smoothly and traveling forward.

Sissone (see-SONE) - Individual element - large jump forward from two foot take-off to landing on the forward leg in arabesque.

Side leap - Individual element - Split leap forward with 90° twist in the air to show straddle position before landing.

Sous-sus: (Soo-SOO) A pose in which the dancer closes to 5th position in releve.

Split leap - Leap from one leg to forward-backward split in the air to land on forward leg. Legs should be straight as athlete lifts into the air. In the developmental program, variations of amount of split are designated (120°, 180°)

Stag - Position of leg with bend of the knee.

Straddle pike jump - Legs extended sideways and rotated outward, legs should be at least horizontal to the floor, minimum of 90° angle at hips.

Switch leg leap - Split leap forward of at least 120° split with change of legs to 180° split. Also called scissor leap.

Stretched: Trunk, hips, legs and feet completely extended.

Supple: (Soft Quality). Controlled, gradual reduction of force.

Torso Swing: Moving the upper trunk with impetus to circle horizontally or in any other plane.

Tours: Turns

Tour jete' - A 180° jump turn from one foot to the other foot, turning in the same direction as the take-off leg. Scissor the legs while in the air 90° - 180° split forward and backward at the peak of the flight. Flight should be vertical rather than horizontal. Land in demi-plie' with arabesque.

Turn Out: The legs rotate in the hip joint laterally outward.

Waltz step: Three consecutive steps executed with even beats (3/4 rhythm). Demi-plie on the first step and releve on the next 2 steps.