All Stars Performing Arts: Adult Ballet
Terms and Positions
Positions of the Feet
Parallel/ Sixth Position: Toes and knees point forward, insides of the feet are together
Relaxed Parallel: Toes and knees point forward, feet hip distance apart
First Position: The heels stay together, and the feet turn outward in a straight line.
Second position: The feet turn outward in a straight line, separated by about a distance of one
foot.
Fourth position: The feet turn outward with one foot in front of the other, parallel and separated
by about a foot. The big toe of each foot should align with the heel of the other.
Fifth position: The feet turn outward, one foot directly in front of the other with the first joint of
each big toe extending past each heel.
Positions of the Arms
In all positions, fingers are long and soft, with the thumb tucked behind the palm to complete the line; the middle finger drops slightly to almost touch the thumb
Preparation/ En bas: Literally means, “low.” Arms are gently curved into a round shape and
lowered to the point that the pinky fingers almost rest on one’s thighs.
First: Arms held in a gentle circle in front of the body, fingers held level with the navel.
Fingertips should never touch but be separated by a few inches.
Second: Arms are gently curve, as in first position, but held to the sides of the body. Arms are
opened to the side to the point where fingers are just within sight of one’s peripheral vision.
Fingers on the same horizontal plane as the navel.
Third: Arms gently curved with one arm held in fifth position, the other opened to second
position
Fourth: Arms are gently curved, one arm is held in first position while the other is held in fifth
Fifth: Arms are gently curved in the same shape as first position and raised overhead to the
point where fingers are just within sight of one’s peripheral vision. Shoulders should remain
down
À la seconde: “To the second position” or “to the side,” as in plié à la seconde or grand
battement à la seconde.
À terre: On the ground; indicates a movement.
Adagio: “Slow tempo.” In ballet, a tempo in which the dancer moves slowly and gracefully.
Allegro: “Brisk tempo.” In ballet, a tempo in which the dancer moves briskly and excitedly.
Allongé: “Elongated.” An adjective used to describe poses that are stretched and elongated,
like an arabesque.
Arabesque: A pose in which the dancer stands on one leg—either straight or demi-plié, and
either flat-footed or en pointe—while extending the other leg straight behind at a right angle. The
shoulders are square with the arms held to create a long line from fingertips to toes.
Assemblé: “Joined together.” A move in which a dancer brushes the toes of one foot along the
ground, then brings both legs together in the air.
Attitude: A pose in which the dancer stands straight on one leg with the other leg lifted in back
or front and bent at 90 degrees. The arm on the side of the raised leg is curved over the head,
and the other arm is held to the side.
Chaînés: A popular movement in which the dancer turns on both feet, bringing
each foot up and back down in rapid succession that allows for quick movement.
Changement: The changing of the foot position mid-jump en l'air, or "in the air".
Chassé: “To chase.” A triple-step pattern in which the feet glide together step-by-step.
Coupé: To cut. Used to describe a step in which the foot replaces or cuts the opposite foot.
Croisé: Crossed. The dancer’s body is diagonal to the audience, and their legs appear
crossed.
Dégagé: “Disengage.” Pointing the foot in any direction with a fully arched instep while the
dancer’s weight remains on the straight supporting leg.
Derrière: Back or behind. Typically paired with another pose or move to indicate a
backwards movement.
Devant: In front. Indicates a move or position where the leg or arm is placed in front of the
body.
Developpe: “To develop.” Moving one leg up to the knee of the standing leg and slowly
extending it in the air, holding the hips square according to the direction the dancer is facing.
Effacé: “Shaded.” Indicates an open position for the legs.
Écarté: “Separated.” A position in which the dancer faces one of the two front corners of the
room. The leg nearer the audience is pointed in the second position or raised to the second
position in the air. With the arm on the same side as the extended leg raised, the dancer turns
their head up toward it and looks into the palm of the hand. The other arm remains in demi-
seconde position.
Échappé: Escaped. When the feet move from a closed position (first, third, or fifth position) to
an opening position (second or fourth position).
Elevé: “Elevated.” Rising up on the balls of the foot (demi-pointe) or en pointe; a relevé without
a demi-plié.
En croix: Cross. Indicates a leg movement or step that is completed to the front, side, and
back in succession, with the leg moving in the shape of a cross.
En dedans: Inward. A move when the leg moves circularly counter-clockwise, or inward.
This can be done on the floor (à terre) or in the air (en l’air).
En dehors: Outside. A move when the leg moves circularly clockwise, or outward. This can
be done on the floor (à terre) or in the air (en l’air).
Entrechat: Interweaving or braiding. Indicates a jump where the feet cross in front and
behind each other in quick succession. The term is typically followed by a number that indicates
the number of crosses the feet should complete, i.e. entrechat quatres.
Fondu: “Sinking down.” A one-legged version of a plié.
Frappé: Struck or & to strike. When a dancer uses the pointed foot of the working leg to swipe
(or strike) the floor in quick succession.
Grand battement: “Large battement.” Lifting one leg in the air from the hip with the knee
straight and the standing leg straight, then bringing the working leg down again without bending
the knee.
Grand jeté: “Large throw.” A high jump in which the legs are extended to 90 degrees. It is
preceded by a preliminary movement, like a glissade (a gliding step).
Pas de bourrée: “Step of the drunk.” A rapid move that begins in a demi-plié. The first leg
extends sideways to meet the other leg in front or behind before returning to the original
position.
Pas de chat: Step of the cat. A sideways jump in which the legs bend, one after the other.
Pas de cheval: Step of the horse. The leg extends from first position to fifth position, then to a
cou-de-pied. The step ends with the foot pointing to a tendu.
Passé: “Passed.” A passing movement, in which one foot passes in back or in front of the knee
of the supporting leg, or one leg passes the other in the air.
Penché: “Leaning” or “inclining,” as in arabesque penché, in which the dancer’s body leans far
forward, with the forward arm and head low and the foot of the raised leg behind high in the air.
Petit saut: A small jump.
Piqué en arabesque: A movement in which the right foot is in front in fifth position, then the
dancer demi-pliés and dégagés the right leg to step onto the point of the right foot, extending
the left leg in arabesque.
Piqué turn: A pirouette where the dancer steps onto pointe or demi-pointe and raises the other
leg in any position. Also known as piqué tour.
Pirouette: A complete turn of the body on one foot, either turning inward or outward, with the
body centered over the supporting leg, the arms propelling the turn but remaining stationary
during the turn, and the eyes “spotting” a fixed point while the head quickly turns.
Plié: “Bent” Bending the knees in either a grand plié (full bending of the knees) or a demi-plié
(half bending of the knees), with the legs turned out from the hips and the knees open and over
the toes.
Port de bras: “Movement of the arms.” The passage of the arms from one position to
another.
Relevé: “Raised.” A movement in which the dancer starts in a demi-plié and then rises up to
pointe or demi-pointe on one foot or both feet.
Retiré: Withdrawn or retired. Indicates a position with a raised thigh en lair, and the knee
bent and foot pointed. The toes should rest on the knee, either in front (devant), behind
(derrière), or to the side.
Rond de jambe: “Round of the leg.” A circular movement of the leg, either clockwise or
counterclockwise with the working leg either in the air or with a foot touching the floor.
Sauté: Jump. Any step in which a jump is executed.
Sissonne: “Like scissors.” Jumping from both feet onto one foot—except for sissone fermée,
sissone tombée, and sissone fondue, which land on both feet.
Soubresaut: Indicates a rapid jump executed from both feet and landing on both feet.
Soutenu: Sustained. A movement when the dancer turns en pointe in fifth position, landing on
the opposite foot. The back foot should now be in front. Used often by the corps de ballet.
Temps lié: “Connected movement.” A combination of steps and arm placement based on the
fourth, fifth, and second positions. It prepares the dancer to maintain balance and control while
shifting their weight from one position to another.
Tendu: “Stretched” One foot slides across the floor with the toes touching the floor. Both legs
remain straight, and then the extended leg returns to the position from which it was extended.
Tournant: “Turn.” A term paired with a movement to indicate a body turn. For example, fouetté
en tournant.