Ballet Positions

BALLET POSITIONS & TERMINOLOGY

FIRST POSITION

SECOND POSITION

THIRD POSITION

FOURTH POSITION

FIFTH POSITION

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

À la seconde
To the side or in second position. À la seconde usually means a step that moves sideways or a movement done to the side such as grand battement à la seconde.
Adagio
Slow and sustained movements; also, the section of a pas de deux in which the ballerina, partnered by the danseur, displays her mastery of lyrical movement.
Allegro Fast movements.
Aplomb Refers to stability of the position.
Arabesque
A position in which the dancer stands on one leg with the other leg extended in a straight line to the rear. The positions of the arms and the height of the raised leg may vary.
Assemblé
Literally meaning "assembled", a movement where the first foot performs a battement glissé/degagé, "swishing" out. The second foot then swishes under the first foot, thereby launching the dancer into a jump. The feet meet together in mid-air and the dancer lands with both feet on the floor at the same time.
Attitude
A position in which the dancer stands on one leg, the other leg raised behind the body with the knee bent. A similar position, but with the leg placed in front of the body, may also be called an attitude.
Ballerina
The principal female dancer in a company. The term is misapplied when used to designate any female dancer. A large company may have two or more ballerinas, the chief one ranked as Prima ballerina.
Ballon The resilience, lightness, or spring of a dancer in leaping or jumping movements.
Barre
A horizontal (usually wooden) bar, approximately waist height, used for ballet exercises and warm up techniques.
Battement
A kick, either high (grand battement) or low (petit battement), which may be executed in any direction.
Batterie Any action in which the legs beat together, usually when the dancer is in air.
Brisé
A jump similar to an assemblé. One leg is thrusted from the fifth position to the second position in the air; the second leg reaches the first in mid-air executing a beat. It is a traveling movement. In other words, the dancer executes an assemblè, then, doing a beat, changes fifth positions in the air.
Cabriole
A batterie movement, usually for the male. One leg kicks high to the front or the back and is held in this extension until the supporting leg swiftly leaves the floor and meets the raised leg in a beat or in multiple beats.
Chaînés
This is a common abbreviation for tours chaînés déboulés, which is a series of quick turns on alternating feet with progression along a straight line or circle. They are also know as chaînés tournes. In classical ballet it is done on the pointes or demi-pointes (on the balls of the feet).
Changement de Pieds
A movement in which the dancer, starting in fifth position, jumps upward and returns to the floor in fifth position but with the position of the feet reversed. He might, for example, start with the right leg infront and conclude with the right leg in back.
Chassé
Literal meaning: chased or hunted. A slide with both legs bent either forwards, backwards or sideways and meeting in the air straightened. It can be done either in a gallop (like children pretending to ride a horse) or by pushing the first foot along the floor in a plié and springing into the air where both legs meet stretched.
Choreographer
One who selects or invents the steps, movements, and patterns of a ballet. He must relate these motions to the music, the themeabstract or dramaticand the design of the production in order to make a ballet with form, sequence, and purpose.
Coda The last section of a pas de deux or of a full ballet.
Corps de Ballet The chorus of a ballet company; also called the ensemble.
Croisé, croisée
Crossed. One of the directions of épaulement. The crossing of the legs with the body placed at an oblique angle to the audience. The disengaged leg may be crossed in the front or in the back. Croisé is used in the third, fourth and fifth positions of the legs (the positions that can be crossed).
Danseur Noble The male classical dancer, counterpart of the classical ballerina.
Demi-Pointe With the full weight of the body on the toes and the ball of the foot.
Derrière
The French word for the back(side). A step done to the back. For example, a battement tendu derrière means a battement tendu taken to the back.
Dessous
The French word "under". This is where the front leg is brought to the back in techniques such as the assemblé and pas de bourrée, and glissades.
Dessus
The French word "over". This is where the back leg is brought to the front in techniques such as the assemblé and pas de bourrée, and glissade.
Devant
The French word for the front(side). For example, tendu devant would mean stretching the foot to the front, or attitude devant would mean executing an attitude to the front.
Développé
The unfolding of the leg, accomplished by slowly bending and then straightening the knee as the leg is raised in an extension (to the front, side, or back) from the floor.
Divertissement
A dance without plot, or that part of a dramatic ballet composed of a series of short dances without plot.
Echappé
(Pronunciation: ay-sha-PAY) A movement done from first or fifth position. It goes in either second or fourth, then comes back to first or fifth position. Echappé means "escaped".
Effacé, effacée
Shaded. The opposite position of croise. One of the directions of épaulement in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view. This direction is termed "ouvert" in the French method. Effacé is also used to qualify a pose in which the legs are open (not crossed). This pose may be taken devant or derrière, either à terre or en l'air. Example: If the front leg is the right, and the dancer is facing the front-right corner of the stage, or if the front leg is the left and he is facing the front-left corner, he is in efface.
En Arrière To the back.
En Avant To the front.
En Dedans Inward, toward the body.
En Dehors Outward, away from the body.
Entrechat
A jump directly upward, with the body maintaining a straight line and with multiple changes of positions of feet in air. An entrechat is an elaboration of the changement de pieds.
Entrée
Entrée can refer to the opening number in a suite a dances known as the Grand Pas. Entrée can also refer to a number in which the lead character (or characters) of a ballet make their initial entrance on stage.
Epaulement Rotation of the shoulders and head relative to the hips in a pose or a step.
Five Positions of the Feet
The five classical positions of the feet. Every ballet step or movement must begin with one of these positions and return to one of them. (See illustrations above.)
Fouetté
A turn or spin on one leg, the body being propelled by a whipping motion of the free leg. It is usually performed by a female dancer.
Glissade
A gliding step starting from fifth position, opening into second position, and closing in fifth. It may be held to the floor or used as a low leap.
Grand Pas and Grand Pas d'action
A Grand Pas (literally meaning Big, or Large Step) refers to a specifically arranged large suite of dances that serve as the pièce de résistance of a ballet for lead dancers, demi-soloists, and (possibly) the corps de ballet. A Grand Pas merely serves as a divertissement only, and does not carry the action of the ballet forward.
Jeté
A leap in which the dancer propels himself with a pushoff from one leg, covers space in air, and lands to designate types of dances, as pas seul (solo) and pas de deux (dance for two).
Partnering
For a male dancer, partnering includes lifting, catching and carrying a partner, also assisting with leaps, promenades and supported pirouettes.
For a female dancer, partnering includes being lifted, carried, and being assisted with or caught after leaps.
In general it is an effort by both the male and female dancers to achieve a harmony of movement so that the audience is unaware of the mechanics but just the effect which can be both physical and emotional. Also known as a pas de deux (dance for two).
Pas
Literally, movement or a step. In ballet, a Pas often refers to a combination of steps which make up a dance.
Pas de Bourrée
A traveling step in which the dancer may move in any direction on demi-pointe or on pointe. The calves are held as close together as possible while the dancer executes a series of swift miniature steps.
Pas de Chat
A leap, starting from a plié in fifth position. The leading leg is drawn up with bent knee, followed almost immediately by the other leg. At the peak of the leap, both knees are bent outward to the side, and the toes are nearly touching. A gargouillade is the same movement, except that the leading leg does a rond de jamb en dehors and the following leg a rond de jamb en dedans while in air.
Pas de Deux
A duet. A classical grand pas de deux consists of an entrée, adagio, two solosone executed by the ballerina; the other done by the danseurand a coda.
Passé
The movement usually refers to the working foot passing close to the knee of the standing leg. It can be performed either from the front to the back or from the back to the front. The foot starts usually from the fifth position, withdrawing from the floor with the toe sliding up against the supporting leg and performing the retiré movement (this movement is literally the 'withdrawing'). When the foot arrives by the knee of the standing leg it passes from the front to the back (or viceversa, depending on the direction of the movement) and continues its movement either to return to the floor by sliding down the supporting leg or into an arabesque or attitude or variations thereof. The term passé, has also come into popular usage for the position in which the foot is placed near or on the knee.
Pirouette
A turn of the body done while standing on one leg, the other leg being held in any one of a number of traditional positions. A pirouette is done on demi-pointe by the male, on pointe by the female, dancer.
Plié
A basic bending movement of the knees; in French, it means "bent". The plié is a smooth and continuous bending and straightening of the knees.
This can be taken to demi-plié (a comfortable, natural bend) or grand-plié, where the dancer bends their knees all the way down to a little above their hips or at their hips, whilst maintaining classical turn-out. The legs are turned out at the hip joints, allowing the thighs and knees to open directly above the line of the toes.
Pointe The tip of the toe.
Pointe work The action of rising to the tips of the toes while performing steps.
Port de Bras The positions and movements of the arms.
Relevé To rise onto pointe or demi-pointe.
Rond de Jambe
A rotary movement of the leg. It can be done in a number of ways, such as on the floor with knee straight, or in air with a circular rotation of the knee from bent to straight.
Sauté A jump.
Terre-à-Terre Steps done on the ground.
Tour A turn. A pirouette is one kind of tour.
Tour en l'Air
A turn done in air. The dancer springs upward from fifth position, makes one or more complete turns, and returns to the floor in fifth position.
Turnout
The body positions of classical ballet in which the limbs are turned out from the hips at a 180 angle. Ballet beginners start with a less extreme turnout.
Tutu
The fluffy skirt worn by the female dancer. In ballets of the romantic style, the tutu falls to below the calf. In the later, classical style ballet, it is short enough to reveal the legs completely.
Variation Usually a solo dance, or pas seul.

_________________________________________

À la seconde	To the side or in second position. À la seconde usually means a step that moves sideways or a movement done to the side such as grand battement à la seconde.
Adagio	Slow and sustained movements; also, the section of a pas de deux in which the ballerina, partnered by the danseur, displays her mastery of lyrical movement.
Allegro	Fast movements.
Aplomb	Refers to stability of the position.
Arabesque	A position in which the dancer stands on one leg with the other leg extended in a straight line to the rear. The positions of the arms and the height of the raised leg may vary.
Assemblé	Literally meaning "assembled", a movement where the first foot performs a battement glissé/degagé, "swishing" out. The second foot then swishes under the first foot, thereby launching the dancer into a jump. The feet meet together in mid-air and the dancer lands with both feet on the floor at the same time.
Attitude	A position in which the dancer stands on one leg, the other leg raised behind the body with the knee bent. A similar position, but with the leg placed in front of the body, may also be called an attitude.
Ballerina	The principal female dancer in a company. The term is misapplied when used to designate any female dancer. A large company may have two or more ballerinas, the chief one ranked as Prima ballerina.
Ballon	The resilience, lightness, or spring of a dancer in leaping or jumping movements.
Barre	A horizontal (usually wooden) bar, approximately waist height, used for ballet exercises and warm up techniques.
Battement	A kick, either high (grand battement) or low (petit battement), which may be executed in any direction.
Batterie	Any action in which the legs beat together, usually when the dancer is in air.
Brisé	A jump similar to an assemblé. One leg is thrusted from the fifth position to the second position in the air; the second leg reaches the first in mid-air executing a beat. It is a traveling movement. In other words, the dancer executes an assemblè, then, doing a beat, changes fifth positions in the air.
Cabriole	A batterie movement, usually for the male. One leg kicks high to the front or the back and is held in this extension until the supporting leg swiftly leaves the floor and meets the raised leg in a beat or in multiple beats.
Chaînés	This is a common abbreviation for tours chaînés déboulés, which is a series of quick turns on alternating feet with progression along a straight line or circle. They are also know as chaînés tournes. In classical ballet it is done on the pointes or demi-pointes (on the balls of the feet).
Changement de Pieds	A movement in which the dancer, starting in fifth position, jumps upward and returns to the floor in fifth position but with the position of the feet reversed. He might, for example, start with the right leg infront and conclude with the right leg in back.
Chassé	Literal meaning: chased or hunted. A slide with both legs bent either forwards, backwards or sideways and meeting in the air straightened. It can be done either in a gallop (like children pretending to ride a horse) or by pushing the first foot along the floor in a plié and springing into the air where both legs meet stretched.
Choreographer	One who selects or invents the steps, movements, and patterns of a ballet. He must relate these motions to the music, the themeabstract or dramaticand the design of the production in order to make a ballet with form, sequence, and purpose.
Coda	The last section of a pas de deux or of a full ballet.
Corps de Ballet	The chorus of a ballet company; also called the ensemble.
Croisé, croisée	Crossed. One of the directions of épaulement. The crossing of the legs with the body placed at an oblique angle to the audience. The disengaged leg may be crossed in the front or in the back. Croisé is used in the third, fourth and fifth positions of the legs (the positions that can be crossed).
Danseur Noble	The male classical dancer, counterpart of the classical ballerina.
Demi-Pointe	With the full weight of the body on the toes and the ball of the foot.
Derrière	The French word for the back(side). A step done to the back. For example, a battement tendu derrière means a battement tendu taken to the back.
Dessous	The French word "under". This is where the front leg is brought to the back in techniques such as the assemblé and pas de bourrée, and glissades.
Dessus	The French word "over". This is where the back leg is brought to the front in techniques such as the assemblé and pas de bourrée, and glissade.
Devant	The French word for the front(side). For example, tendu devant would mean stretching the foot to the front, or attitude devant would mean executing an attitude to the front.
Développé	The unfolding of the leg, accomplished by slowly bending and then straightening the knee as the leg is raised in an extension (to the front, side, or back) from the floor.
Divertissement	A dance without plot, or that part of a dramatic ballet composed of a series of short dances without plot.
Echappé	(Pronunciation: ay-sha-PAY) A movement done from first or fifth position. It goes in either second or fourth, then comes back to first or fifth position. Echappé means "escaped".
Effacé, effacée	Shaded. The opposite position of croise. One of the directions of épaulement in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view. This direction is termed "ouvert" in the French method. Effacé is also used to qualify a pose in which the legs are open (not crossed). This pose may be taken devant or derrière, either à terre or en l'air. Example: If the front leg is the right, and the dancer is facing the front-right corner of the stage, or if the front leg is the left and he is facing the front-left corner, he is in efface.
En Arrière	To the back.
En Avant	To the front.
En Dedans	Inward, toward the body.
En Dehors	Outward, away from the body.
Entrechat	A jump directly upward, with the body maintaining a straight line and with multiple changes of positions of feet in air. An entrechat is an elaboration of the changement de pieds.
Entrée	Entrée can refer to the opening number in a suite a dances known as the Grand Pas. Entrée can also refer to a number in which the lead character (or characters) of a ballet make their initial entrance on stage.
Epaulement	Rotation of the shoulders and head relative to the hips in a pose or a step.
Five Positions of the Feet	The five classical positions of the feet. Every ballet step or movement must begin with one of these positions and return to one of them. (See illustrations above.)
Fouetté	A turn or spin on one leg, the body being propelled by a whipping motion of the free leg. It is usually performed by a female dancer.
Glissade	A gliding step starting from fifth position, opening into second position, and closing in fifth. It may be held to the floor or used as a low leap.
Grand Pas and Grand Pas d'action	A Grand Pas (literally meaning Big, or Large Step) refers to a specifically arranged large suite of dances that serve as the pièce de résistance of a ballet for lead dancers, demi-soloists, and (possibly) the corps de ballet. A Grand Pas merely serves as a divertissement only, and does not carry the action of the ballet forward.
Jeté	A leap in which the dancer propels himself with a pushoff from one leg, covers space in air, and lands to designate types of dances, as pas seul (solo) and pas de deux (dance for two).
Partnering	For a male dancer, partnering includes lifting, catching and carrying a partner, also assisting with leaps, promenades and supported pirouettes. For a female dancer, partnering includes being lifted, carried, and being assisted with or caught after leaps. In general it is an effort by both the male and female dancers to achieve a harmony of movement so that the audience is unaware of the mechanics but just the effect which can be both physical and emotional. Also known as a pas de deux (dance for two).
Pas	Literally, movement or a step. In ballet, a Pas often refers to a combination of steps which make up a dance.
Pas de Bourrée	A traveling step in which the dancer may move in any direction on demi-pointe or on pointe. The calves are held as close together as possible while the dancer executes a series of swift miniature steps.
Pas de Chat	A leap, starting from a plié in fifth position. The leading leg is drawn up with bent knee, followed almost immediately by the other leg. At the peak of the leap, both knees are bent outward to the side, and the toes are nearly touching. A gargouillade is the same movement, except that the leading leg does a rond de jamb en dehors and the following leg a rond de jamb en dedans while in air.
Pas de Deux	A duet. A classical grand pas de deux consists of an entrée, adagio, two solosone executed by the ballerina; the other done by the danseurand a coda.
Passé	The movement usually refers to the working foot passing close to the knee of the standing leg. It can be performed either from the front to the back or from the back to the front. The foot starts usually from the fifth position, withdrawing from the floor with the toe sliding up against the supporting leg and performing the retiré movement (this movement is literally the 'withdrawing'). When the foot arrives by the knee of the standing leg it passes from the front to the back (or viceversa, depending on the direction of the movement) and continues its movement either to return to the floor by sliding down the supporting leg or into an arabesque or attitude or variations thereof. The term passé, has also come into popular usage for the position in which the foot is placed near or on the knee.
Pirouette	A turn of the body done while standing on one leg, the other leg being held in any one of a number of traditional positions. A pirouette is done on demi-pointe by the male, on pointe by the female, dancer.
Plié	A basic bending movement of the knees; in French, it means "bent". The plié is a smooth and continuous bending and straightening of the knees. This can be taken to demi-plié (a comfortable, natural bend) or grand-plié, where the dancer bends their knees all the way down to a little above their hips or at their hips, whilst maintaining classical turn-out. The legs are turned out at the hip joints, allowing the thighs and knees to open directly above the line of the toes.
Pointe	The tip of the toe.
Pointe work	The action of rising to the tips of the toes while performing steps.
Port de Bras	The positions and movements of the arms.
Relevé	To rise onto pointe or demi-pointe.
Rond de Jambe	A rotary movement of the leg. It can be done in a number of ways, such as on the floor with knee straight, or in air with a circular rotation of the knee from bent to straight.
Sauté	A jump.
Terre-à-Terre	Steps done on the ground.
Tour	A turn. A pirouette is one kind of tour.
Tour en l'Air	A turn done in air. The dancer springs upward from fifth position, makes one or more complete turns, and returns to the floor in fifth position.
Turnout	The body positions of classical ballet in which the limbs are turned out from the hips at a 180 angle. Ballet beginners start with a less extreme turnout.
Tutu	The fluffy skirt worn by the female dancer. In ballets of the romantic style, the tutu falls to below the calf. In the later, classical style ballet, it is short enough to reveal the legs completely.
Variation	Usually a solo dance, or pas seul.