Attitude (ballet Position)

Because ballet became formalized in France, a significant part of ballet terminology is in the French language.

A

À la seconde

() (Literally "to second") If a step is done "à la seconde," it is done to the side. 'Second position'. It can also be a balance extending one foot off the ground in ‘Second Position’.

À la quatrième

() One of the directions of body, facing the audience (''en face''), arms in second position, with one leg extended either to fourth position in front (''quatrième devant'') or fourth position behind (''quatrième derrière'').

À terre

() Touching the floor; on the floor.

Adagio

Italian, or French ''adage'', meaning 'slowly, at ease.'
# Slow movements performed with fluidity and grace.
# One of the typical exercises of a traditional ballet class, done both at barre and in center, featuring slow, controlled movements.
# The section of a '' grand pas'' (e.g., '' grand pas de deux''), often referred to as ''grand adage'', that features dance partnering.

Allegro

(; meaning 'happy')
# Brisk, lively motion. An attribute of many movements, including those in which a dancer is airborne (e.g., ''assemblé'', ''changement'', ''entrechat'', ''sauté'', ''sissonne'', ''soubresaut'').
# Used in ballet to refer to all jumps, regardless of tempo.
# A category of exercises found in a traditional ballet class, e.g. petit allegro (small, generally fast jumps) and grand allegro (large, generally slower jumps).

Allongé

(; meaning 'elongated.') Refers to a foot and leg position when the toes and knees are extended and elongated, rather than forming the usual soft curve.

Aplomb

In dance (particularly ballet), arabesque (French: ʁabɛsk literally, "in Arabic fashion") is a body position in which a dancer stands on one leg (the supporting leg) with the other leg (the working leg) extended, straight, behind the body. The arm positions can vary and are generally allongé. The foot of the supporting leg may be flat on the floor, on the ball of the foot (demi-pointe/relevé), or on the tips of the toes (en pointe).

Arrondi

(; meaning 'rounded') A position of the hand. Rounded, in contrast with ''allongé'' ('stretched out', as in arabesque).

Assemblé

(; literally 'assembled') Sometimes also ''pas assemblé''. A jump that takes off from one foot and lands on two feet. When initiated with two feet on the ground (e.g. from fifth position) the working leg performs a ''battement glissé''/''dégagé'', brushing out. The dancer launches into a jump, with the second foot then meeting the first foot before landing. A petit assemblé is when a dancer is standing on one foot with the other extended. The dancer then does a small jump to meet the first foot.

Attitude

() A position in which a dancer stands on one leg (the ''supporting'' leg) while the other leg (''working'' leg) is raised and turned out with knee bent to form an angle of approximately 90° between the thigh and the lower leg. The height of the knee versus the foot and the angle of the knee flexion will vary depending on the techniques. The working leg can be held behind (''derrière''), in front (''devant''), or to the side (''à la seconde'') of the body. The alignment of the thigh compared to the midline in Attitude derrière will vary depending on the techniques. The foot of the supporting leg may be flat on the floor, en demi-pointe (ball of the foot), or en pointe (tips of the toes). The standing leg can be straight or bent ("fondu").

Avant, en

(; meaning 'forwards') A movement towards the front, as opposed to ''en arrière'', which is conversely a movement towards the back. For example, a step travelling ''en avant'' moves forwards towards the audience, as in ''sissonne en avant''.

Arrière, en

(; meaning 'backwards') A movement towards the back, as opposed to ''en avant.''

B

Balancé

(; "balanced") A rocking sequence of three steps—''fondu'', ''relevé'', ''fondu'' (down, up, down)—executed in three counts. Before the first count, one foot extends in a ''dégagé'' to second position (''balancé de côté'') or to the front (''balancé en avant'') or rear (''balancé en arrière''). The second foot in the sequence (in any direction) assembles behind the first to relevé in fifth or fourth position.

Balançoire

(; "swing hildren's toy) Swinging the working leg between front (devant) and back (derrière) through first position, usually in conjunction with ''grands battements'' or ''attitudes'' and involving seesaw like shifting of the upper body in opposition to the legs. Similar to en cloche.

Ballerina

(Italian) A principal female ballet dancer in a ballet company. Ballerinas get more lead roles, which are referred to as principal roles as they are generally danced by principal dancers. Soloists also often dance in principal roles, but most of the time not in the first cast of the show (i.e. the cast that performs the most shows)

Ballerino

An informal term for male dancers in a ballet company in Italy.

Ballet

French word meaning dance.

Ballet technique

The foundational principles of body movement and form used in ballet.

Balletomane

A ballet fan or enthusiast. The word is of Russian origin c. 1930, with the suffix ''-mane'' coming from ''maniya'' (mania).

Ballon

Showing lightness of movement in leaps and jumps. A dancer exhibiting ''ballon'' will appear to spring effortlessly, float in mid-air, and land softly like a balloon.

Ballonné

In classical ballet, the term ballonné is a step where the leg is extended (can be front, side, or back) at 45 degrees. The knee is then bent and the foot brought to a sur le cou-de-pied position. This can also be done as a relevé or jump.

Ballotté

A ballotté is a jumping step in classical ballet that consists of coupé dessous and small developpés performed with a rocking and swinging movement. The step can be performed with the leg extensions at 45 or 90 degrees.

Barre

A sturdy horizontal bar, approximately waist height, used during ballet warm-up exercises and training. Fixed barres are typically mounted on
-covered walls; portable barres can be relocated as needed. Used for balance, not support. A barre is a tool, not a necessary item to dance.

Battement

An alternating side-to-side movement of the working (non-supporting) leg. Typically performed in multiples, quickly and in rapid succession so that the working foot appears to be fluttering or vibrating.

Batterie

() A general term for jumps in which the legs open slightly sideways and close (crossed in fifth position) multiple times, alternating feet. (See "Battu.)

Battu

(; meaning 'beaten') A movement with an extra beating of the feet included, as in ''jeté battu''.

Brisé

(; literally 'broken') A jump consisting of an ''assemblé'' traveling either forward (en avant) or backward (en arrière), with an extra beat that "breaks" the jump in its travel. To execute a brisé en avant, the dancer demi-pliés in fifth position and brushes the back leg (through first position) to the front, then springs into the air and brings the second foot to meet it in the back before switching to the front to land, creating a beating action with the legs. In a brisé en arrière, the process is reversed, with the front leg brushing to the back and beating to land in front.

Bras croisé

(; literally 'crossed arms') Arm placement in which one arm is extended in second position away from the audience while the other is curved in first position (Cecchetti fourth position ''en avant'' or RAD/French third position).

Bravura

() A flashy, showy and elaborate style of dance that involves a lot of elaborate steps and style to similar music. Usually during a key solo.

Bourree

Quick movement of the feet, can be performed on pointe or on demi-pointe. The dancer straightens one leg (the leg in back) and bends a leg and picks it up(the leg in front). Then the bent leg is straighted on the floor and the straight leg is picked off the floor and bent. These steps are repeated over and over again. The dancer looks as if he or she is flying across the floor.

C

Cabriole

(; meaning 'caper.') An allegro step in which the extended legs are beaten in the air. Cabrioles are divided into two categories: petite, which are executed at 45 degrees, and grande, which are executed at 90 degrees. The working leg is thrust into the air, the underneath leg follows and beats against the first leg, sending it higher. The landing is then made on the underneath leg. Cabriole may be done devant, derrière and à la seconde in any given position of the body such as croisé, effacé, écarté, and so on.

Cambré

(; literally 'arched.') A bending at the waist in any direction, forward, backward, or to the side.

Chaînés

(; 'chained', plural.) Also known as "chaînés turns," a common abbreviation for ''tours chaînés déboulés'', a series of quick, 360 degree turns that alternate the feet while traveling along a straight line or in a circular path. Each foot performs a half turn, with feet held in a tight first position en pointe or demi-pointe.

Changement de pied

(; literally 'change, changing.') A jump in which the feet change positions in the air. For example, beginning in fifth position with the right foot front, ''plié'', jump switching the right leg to the back, and land in fifth position with the left foot front. In the Vaganova vocabulary, ''petit changement de pieds'' indicates a ''changement'' where the feet barely leave the floor.

Chassé

(Literally 'chased.')
# A sliding movement forward, backward, or sideways with both legs bent, then springing into the air with legs straight and together. It can be done either in a gallop or by pushing the leading foot along the floor in a ''plié'' to cause an upward spring. It is typically performed in a series or as part of a combination of other movements.
# A sliding movement as described above, but without the jump aspect. Instead, the leading foot is pushed along the floor in plié as described above, as a transition into another movement or position.

Cloche, en

(; meaning 'like a bell.') Refers to brushing through first position from fourth devant or fourth derrière to the opposite fourth with the upper body held upright. Can be done continuously, as is often done with grands battements and attitudes. Similar to Balançoire, which additionally allows seesaw like upper-body shifting in counterpoint to the legs.

The Vaganova system may refer to ''en cloche'' as "passé la jambe" or "battement passé la jambe".

Coda

(); literally 'tail.') The concluding segment of a performance or suite of dances comprising a '' grand pas'' (e.g., grand pas de deux). A particularly large or complex coda may be called a ''grand coda''. If a large group of dancers participate, the terms ''coda générale'' or ''grand coda générale'' may be used.

Corps de ballet

The ensemble of a ballet company, especially the ensemble apart from the featured dancers. Being a part of the corps means one is neither a soloist nor a principal dancer.

Coryphée

() In some systems, a dancer of higher rank than a member of the corps de ballet, performing in small ensembles and small solo roles but not ranked as a soloist.

Côté, de

(; 'sideways.') A movement traveling to the side.

Cou-de-pied

(; 'neck of the foot.') Position of the arched working foot raised to, and resting on, the ankle. This could be in front ( conditional"''devant''), behind (''derrière''), or wrapped (''sur le cou-de-pied'': arch of the foot wrapped around the ankle with the heel in front of the ankle and the toes behind, often interchangeable with the devant/conditional position), depending on the activity and the school/method of ballet.

Coupé

(; meaning 'cut.') Coupé is both a step and action. It is commonly executed from ''cou-de-pied'' front to ''cou-de-pied'' back or vice versa. It may also be done from an extended leg position into ''fondu'' or directly through fifth position (as in concluding a ''jeté''). Coupé can only be performed through a closed leg position.

The Vaganova School rarely uses the term ''coupé'' except as the preparation for specific allegros. Rather, "tombé through fifth position" is more commonly used.

In the United States, "coupé" may be used to denote the position ''cou-de-pied,'' not unlike "passé" is used to denote the position ''retiré'' in addition to the action of passing through retiré.

Couru

(; 'run,' past participle, as in 'making small quick steps.') In most cases, this holds the calves together and the feet in a tight fifth position en pointe or demi-pointe and travels forward, backward, or to either side. E.g. ''pas de bourrée couru'' (also called bourrée for short).

,

(; meaning 'crossed.') One of the positions of the body or ''épaulement''. Facing one of the corners of the stage, the body presents at an oblique angle to the audience, such that the audience can see still both shoulders and hips. The working leg may be crossed to the front (devant) or to the back (derrière).

''Croisé'' is used in the third, fourth, and fifth positions of the legs. A dancer is in ''croisé devant'' if at a 45 angle to the audience, the downstage leg (closest to the audience) is working to the front and the arms are open in third or fourth with the downstage arm being the one in second. A dancer is in ''croisé derrière'' if at a 45 degree angle to the audience, the upstage leg (farthest from the audience) is working to the back and the arms are open in third, fourth, or allongé in arabesque with the upstage arm being the one out towards second, e.g. ''arabesque croisée'' or Russian fourth arabesque. ''Croisé derrière'' in the Russian school alternatively has the upstage leg working to the back, but the downstage arm out to second.

Examples of ''croisé'': the front leg is the right leg and the dancer is facing the front-left corner of the stage; or the front leg is the left, and the dancer is facing his/her front-right corner.

Croix, en

(; meaning 'in the shape of a cross.') Term often used during barre exercises to indicate that a step is done to the front, to the side, to the back, and then again to the side (as in the shape of a cross), finishing closed in either first or fifth position.

D

Danseur

() A male ballet dancer.

Danseur noble

() A male ballet dancer who excels in refined classical roles, often playing the prince or other royalty in a classical ballet.

Danseuse

() A female ballet dancer.

Déboulés

(); literally 'hurtled,' as in 'with great speed.') Another name denoting the same move as a chaîné (i.e. ''les tours chaînés déboulés''). Small, very quick half-turns performed by stepping onto one leg, and completing the turn by stepping onto the other, performed on the balls of the feet or high on the toes, with the legs held very close together.

Dedans, en

(; 'inwards.') Inside movement.
# Circular movement where a leg that starts at the back or the side moves towards the front. For the right leg, this is a counter-clockwise circle. For the left leg, this is a clockwise circle. For example, in a ''rond de jambe en dedans'', starting from first position, the foot first extends to ''tendu'' back, then moves to ''tendu'' to the side, and then ''tendu'' front, and back in again to first position.
# Turning motion in the direction of the supporting leg. In a ''pirouette en dedans'', the dancer would turn to their right if their left leg was lifted, or vice versa. Opposite of ''en dehors''.

Dégagé

(; 'disengaged.') Common abbreviation for ''battement dégagé,'' the foot of the working leg sharply brushes through the floor through tendu pointed in the air 45 degrees or lower. Dégagé is part of the (initiating) execution of jumps such as jeté, assemblé, brisé, and glissade.

Primarily a Cecchetti/RAD term, this is known as ''battement tendu jeté'' in the Russian School or ''battement glissé'' in the French School.

Dehors, en

(; 'outwards.') Circular movement where a leg that starts at the front or the side moves towards the back. For a right working leg, this is a clockwise circle. For example, in a ''rond de jambe en dehors'', starting from first position, the foot (either left or right) would first extend ''tendu'' front, move to ''tendu'' to the side, and then ''tendu'' back, and back in again to first position. In a ''pirouette en dehors'', the body turns in the direction of the working leg (the leg raised in ''retiré passé''). Opposite of ''en dedans''.

Demi

(; meaning 'half.') Applied to ''plié'', ''pointe'', and other movements or positions to indicate a smaller or lesser version.

Demi-détourné

() A pivoted half turn executed on both feet. For example, if starting right foot front in fifth position, demi-plié and relevé onto demi-pointe while pivoting a half turn inwards/''en dedans'' towards the direction of the back foot (here left). The feet will have now changed position with the left foot in front in fifth position.

Demi-pointe

() Supporting one's body weight on the balls of one or both feet, heels raised off the floor.

Derrière

(; literally 'behind.') At or to the back. For example, a ''battement tendu derrière'' is a ''battement tendu'' to the rear.

Dessous

(; literally 'under.') Used to indicate that the front leg should be brought to close behind the other leg during a step. For example, ''assemblé'', ''pas de bourrée'', and ''glissade'' can be designated as ''under'' or ''dessous''.

Dessus

(; literally 'over.') Used to indicate that the back leg should be brought to close in front of the other leg during a step. For example, ''assemblé'', ''pas de bourrée'', and ''glissade'' can be designated as ''over'' or ''dessus''.

Devant

(; literally 'front.') Facing or moving to the front, as in '' tendu devant'' or ''attitude devant''.

Développé

() Common abbreviation for ''temps développé''. A movement in which the leg is lifted to cou-de-pied or retiré and then fully extended outward, passing through ''attitude''. It can be done to the front (''devant''), to the side (''à la seconde''), or to the back (''derrière'').

Double

(; 'double.') Making two of a movement, such as in ''double rond de jambe en l'air''.

E

Écarté

(; literally 'spread,' as in 'separated.') One of the basic positions of the body facing the audience at an oblique angle and with the downstage leg open to the side of the body, along the other diagonal, either touching the floor or ''en l'air''. The arm on the same side as the working leg (i.e. the downstage arm) is raised ''en haut'' and the other arm is in second position. The gaze is directed to the raised arm along the same diagonal

In schools that recognize an ''écarté derrière'', such as the French school, ''écarté devant'' is described above, and ''écarté derrière'' differs in having the working leg in second being on the same side as the corner the body is facing, i.e. the upstage leg is the working leg; the upstage arm is ''en haut,'' and the gaze is directed down the length of the arm in second.

Échappé

(; literally 'escaped.') A movement done from a closed (first or fifth) position to an open (second or fourth) position. There are two kinds of ''échappés'': ''échappé sauté'' and ''échappé sur les pointes'' or ''demi-pointes''. In an ''échappé sauté'', a dancer takes a deep ''plié'' followed by a jump in which the legs "escape" into either second (usually when initiating from first position) or fourth position (usually when initiating from fifth position) landing in ''demi-plié''. In ''échappé sur le pointes/demi-pointes'' a dancer begins with a deep ''plié'', springs onto ''les pointes'' or ''demi-pointes'', ending in either second position (when starting from first position) or fourth (when starting from fifth) with knees straight. The dancer may or may not return to the initial position, depending on the choreography.

Élevé

(; 'raised, lifted.') Rising to ''pointe'' or ''demi-pointe'' from straight legs and flat feet. This term is used in some schools in contrast with relevé (in effect, 'relifted'), which is taken to indicate a rise from plié (bent knees). In other schools (French, Russian, textbook Cecchetti), ''relevé'' covers both these concepts.

Emboîté

()
# A small traveling step (en avant or en arrière) where each leg is alternately brought to cou-de-pied, passing the previous standing leg in doing so. Both legs shoot straight downward in the air, and land on one foot in cou-de-pied. This step is often done turning ("en tournant"), where each jump rotates 1/2 turn.
# A traveling series of jumps where each leg is alternately brought to attitude devant in the air, each foot passing the previous one in alternating.
# A series of small walks done on pointe or demi-pointe, traveling either forward (''en avant'') or backward (''en arrière''); the dancer stands in sous-sus and brushes one leg to the side, then closes it in the opposite position (front or back) of where it started, and repeats this motion several times in succession, alternating legs.
# A variation on the typical tour piqué/piqué turn, where the dancer does 1/2 piqué turn as usual, then, without coming off relevé, steps onto the previously working leg and lifts the previously supporting leg to retiré to finish the turn. This can be done several times in succession. (See "Piqué turn.")

En

(; meaning 'in.') A preposition used in description of a dancer's position (e.g., ''en plié'', ''en relevé'', ''en pointe'') or holding the meaning 'towards' when describing direction of a movement (''en avant'', ''en arrière'', ''en dedans'', ''en dehors'' = 'to the front,' 'to the back', 'to the inside,' 'to the outside').

En avant

See Avant

En arrière

See Arrière

En cloche

See Cloche

En croix

See Croix

Front side back side ( in the shape of a cross )

En dedans

See Dedans

Movement of the leg in an inwards rotation direction

En dehors

See Dehors

En face

See Face

En pointe

See Pointe

Entrechat

(; from Italian ''intrecciata'', 'intertwined.') "A step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the legs before and behind." In an ''entrechat quatre'' ('four'), starting from fifth position, right foot front, a dancer will jump up with legs crossed, execute a changement beating the right thigh at the back of the left thigh, then bring the right leg in front again beating the front of the left thigh, and land in the same position as started. In an ''entrechat six'' ('six'), three changes of the feet are made in the air, ultimately changing which foot is in front. Even-numbered entrechats indicate the number of times the legs cross in and out in the air: a regular changement is two (one out, one in), entrechat quatre is two outs, two ins; six is three and three; huit is four and four. Odd-numbered entrechats refer to the previous number, but done landing on one foot with the other in cou-de-pied: for example, an ''entrechat cinq'' (five) is the same as an entrechat-quatre, but done landing on one leg.

Entrée

()
# The initial part of a '' grand pas'', which serves as an introduction for the suite of dances comprising the grand pas.
# The initial appearance of a lead character or characters of a ballet on stage.

Entrée de ballet

An autonomous scene of ballet de cour, divertissement, comédie-ballet, opéra-ballet, even tragédie lyrique, which brings together several dancers in and out of the scenario.

Épaulé

(; 'shouldered.') One of the positions of the body or ''épaulement'' where the body is at an oblique angle to the audience, the downstage arm is ''allongé'' in front and the downstage shoulder appears prominent to the audience as the downstage leg works to the back (e.g. second arabesque).

Épaulement

(; 'shouldering.') Rotation of the shoulders and head relative to the hips in a pose or a step. This term relates only to the movement of the body from the waist up. The head generally looks over shoulder that is forward (downstage).

F

Face, en

(; 'facing, in front of.') ''En face'' indicates facing something directly, generally the audience.

Failli

( 'given way', past participle.) A slide or brush-through transition step following a preceding jump or position. ''Failli'' is often used as shorthand for a ''sissonne (ouverte +pas) failli,'' indicating a jump from two feet landing on one (''sissonne'') with the back foot then sliding through to the front (''chassé passé''), and this is often done in conjunction with an assemblé: ''(sissonne) failli assemblé''. E.g. From croisé, the upstage leg opens behind on the sissonne as the body changes direction in the air to land ouverte effacé; the back leg which is now downstage slides through in a chassé passé to fourth in front, ending the dancer croisé the corner opposite the original. This chassé passé is the (pas) failli. An assemblé (dessus/over) to the opposite corner would reorient the body back to its original position. ''Failli'' phrased with ''arabesque'' indicates the brushed follow-through of an arabesqued leg from elevated behind to fourth in front as lead-in to a following step.

First position (feet)

Turned out legs with the feet pointing in opposite directions, heels touching.

Fermé, fermée

(; 'closed.') Converse of ouvert(e) ('open'). Fermé may refer to positions (the first, fifth, and third positions of the feet are positions fermées), limbs, directions, or certain exercises or steps. Example: a ''sissonne fermée'' ends with closed legs, as opposed to a ''sissonne ouverte,'' which lands on one leg with the other (generally) extended.

Fish dive

A partnering dance lift, often performed as part of a pas de deux, in which the male dancer supports the female in a poisson position.

Flic flac

() Familiar French term for battement fouetté à terre. A step where the foot of the working leg sweeps flexed across the floor from pointed à la seconde (en l'air, as in dégagé) to pointed at cou-de-pied devant or derrière.

Fondu

(; literally 'melted.')

# Abbreviation for ''battement fondu'', a lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting leg, the working leg extending out à terre or in the air. Saint-Léon wrote, "Fondu is on one leg what a plié is on two." ''Fondu'' at the barre often refers to battement fondu développé, where the supporting leg begins fondu with the foot of the working leg at cou-de-pied; the working leg extends out through a petit développé as the supporting leg straightens.
# A term used to modify any one-legged position in order to indicate a bent supporting leg (e.g. arabesque fondu).

Fouetté

(; literally 'whipped.') ''Fouetté'' itself refers to a move where a quick pivot on the supporting leg changes the orientation of the body and the working leg. E.g. A 180-degree or 90-degree fouetté could involve a working leg beginning extended elevated in front; the supporting leg rising onto demi-pointe or pointe quickly executing a "half" turn inside/en dedans, leading to the working leg ending in arabesque and the body now facing the opposite direction or stage direction. (This brand of action can be seen in both tour jetés and waltz turns (''pas de valse en tournant'').) A fouetté could also change the leg/body orientation from, for example, en face à la seconde to épaulé (second) arabesque/croisé first arabesque or effacé devant, if outside/en dehors, via a 45-degree turn.

''Fouetté'' is also common shorthand for fouetté rond de jambe en tournant (pictured here ''en dehors''). A fouetté turn is a turn that begins with the supporting leg in plié. As the supporting foot transitions to ''demi-pointe'' or ''pointe'', in an en dehors turn, the working leg extends forward and then whips around to the side as the working foot is retracted to the supporting knee in retiré, creating the impetus to rotate one turn. The working leg returns out of retiré nearing the end of a single rotation to restart the entire leg motion for successive rotations.

Fouetté jeté

() A leap that begins with a ''fouetté''.

Frappé

(; 'struck.') Abbreviation of ''battement frappé.'' Action of extending the working foot out from cou-de-pied. In Cecchetti, RAD, and American ballet, on flat, this action involves brushing a flexed (or non-pointed relaxed) foot from cou-de-pied through the floor, the ball of the foot (lightly) striking as extending out pointed through dégagé. In the Russian school, a pointed foot at cou-de-pied extends directly out to dégagé height without brushing through the floor. On demi-pointe, Cecchetti employs the Russian style of non-brushed pointed foot directly out. Other schools may use a flexed foot without the strike or a non-brushed pointed foot on demi-pointe.

Frappés are commonly done in singles, doubles, or triples. Double and triple frappés involve tapping the foot (flexed or pointed) at both cou-de-pied devant (or wrapped) and derrière before extending out. (E.g. Double frappé front would be cou-de-pied back, cou-de-pied front, dégagé front. Double frappé back would be front, back, égagéback. Triple frappé front would be front, back, front, égagéfront.)

Fifth position

A posture in which the feet are turned outward. With one foot in the front and one in the back, you will make fifth position. The front foot is usually facing horizontal while the back foot is diagonal. It does not matter which foot is in the front or back, as long as they are turned out. You can do pirouettes, changements, frappés, plies, and much more with fifth position.

G

Gargouillade

A complicated jump involving a pas de chat with a double rond de jambe.

Glissade

(; literally 'glide.') A traveling step starting in fifth position from ''demi-plié''. The leading foot brushes out to dégagé as weight bears on the trailing leg, weight is shifted to the leading leg via a jump and the trailing foot extends out of plié into degagé. The leading foot lands tombé and the trailing foot slides in to meet the leading foot in fifth position demi-plié. A ''glissade'' can be done ''en avant'', ''en arrière'', ''dessous'' (leading front foot ends back), ''dessus'' (leading back foot ends front), or without a changement of feet.

Glissade précipitée

(; "precipitated glide".) A quick ''glissade'' generally done leading into a following step, such as with ''glissade jeté'' or ''glissade assemblé''.

Grand écart

(; literally "big gap".) Opening the legs to 180°, front or sideways. Known as 'spagat' in German or 'the splits' or 'jump splits' in English.

Grand plié

() A full ''plié'' or bending of the knees. Throughout the movement, the pelvis should be kept neutral, the back straight and aligned with the heels, the legs turned out, and the knees over the feet. From standing to bent this should be fluid. A purpose of the grand plié is to warm up the ankles and stretch the calves. In a grande plié your heels come off the ground in first, fourth, and fifth position.

Grand jeté

() A long horizontal jump, starting from one leg and landing on the other. Known as a split in the air. It is most often done forward and usually involves doing full leg splits in mid-air. It consists basically of a ''grand écart'' with a moving jump. The front leg brushes straight into the air in a ''grand battement'', as opposed to from ''développé'' (or an unfolding motion). The back leg follows making the splits in the air. It can be performed ''en avant'' (forward), ''à la seconde'' (to the side), ''en arrière'' (backward), and ''en tournant'' (turning en dedans). The dancer must remember to hit the fullest split at the height of the jump, with weight pushed slightly forward, giving the dancer a gliding appearance.

Grand pas

A suite of individual dances that serves as a showpiece for lead dancers, demi-soloists, and in some cases the ''corps de ballet''. Often regarded as the pièce de résistance

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