Ballet Terms

Front 1

Allegro

{ a-lay-GROH}

Back 1

Brisk and Lively.

Front 2

Adage

{a-DAHZH}

Back 2

Slow and sustained

Front 3

Raccourci

{Ra- Koor- SEE}

Back 3

Shortened

Front 4

Allonge

{a-lawn-ZHAY}

Back 4

Extended, outstretched.

Front 5

First Arabesque

{a-ra-BESK}

Back 5

Supported on a straight leg with other leg extended at a right angle to the supported leg. Forward arm extended on same side as the supporting leg, and the other extended straight in direction of extended leg.

Front 6

Second Arabesque

Back 6

The arms are reversed so that the forward arm is the opposite to the supporting leg. The head is slightly inclined and turned toward the audience.

Front 7

Third Arabesque

Back 7

Both arms are extended forward to the side of the supporting leg, The fingertips of the arm farther from the audience are in a line with the centre of the space between the eyes while the arm nearer the audience is in a line with the shoulder.

Front 8

Fourth Arabesque

Back 8

The supporting leg is nearer the audience and is demi-plie. The arms and head are held as in the first arabesque with the arm on the side of the raised leg being forward.

Front 9

Fifth Arabesque

Back 9

The arms and head are held as in third arabesque With the arm father from the audience being the higher. The supporting leg is the leg nearer the audience and is in demi-plie.

Front 10

En Arriere

(Accent check)

{ah na-RYEHR}

Back 10

Backward.

Front 11

Assemble

(Accent check)

{a-sahn-BLAY}

Back 11

Assembled or joined together.

Front 12

Assemble Battu

(Accent check)

Back 12

Assemble beaten.

Front 13

Assemble Porte

(Accent check)

{pawr-TAY}

Back 13

Assemble Carried.

Front 14

Assemble Derriere/Devant

(Accent check)

Back 14

Assemble in back/front.

Front 15

Assemble en arriere/ en avant

Back 15

Assemble backward/forward.

Front 16

Assemble simple

(accent check)

Back 16

Ordinary Assemble, single.

Front 17

En attitude

(accent check)

{ah na-tee-TEWD}

Back 17

In attitude.

Front 18

Attitude

{a-tee-TEWD}

Back 18

Position on one leg with the other lifted in back, the knee bent at a 90 degree angle and well turned out so the knee is higher than the foot.

Front 19

En avan/En arriere

{ ah na-VAHN} / {ah na-RYEHR}

Back 19

Forward, towards the audience/ Backward, away from the audience.

Front 20

Balance

(Accent check)

{ba-lahn-SAY}

Back 20

Rocking Step

Front 21

En balancoire

(Accent heck)

Back 21

Like a seesaw. Series of grand battements executed with a continuous swinging motion through first position to the fourth position front and back. As leg is thrown forcefully forward, the body leans backward, then as the leg is thrown backward, the body leans forward.

Front 22

Ballon

{ ba-LAWN}

Back 22

Bounce. - Like a smooth bouncing ball.

Front 23

Pas Ballonne

(Accent check)

{pah ba-law-NAY}

Back 23

Ball-like or bouncing step. Step in which the dancer springs into the air exteneding one leg to the front, side or back and lands with the extended leg either in sur le cou-depied or ritire. There are two kinds of of ballonne : Ballonne simple, which may be performed petite or grand; and ballonne compose, which is a compound step consisting of 3 moments.

Front 24

Coupe ballonne

(Accent Check)

Back 24

Ballonne cut.