In ballet, a grand pas (; literally, big or large step) is a suite of
dance
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
s that serves as a showpiece for lead dancers,
demi-soloists Demi-soloist can have one of two meanings in the ballet. The first is for a solo rôle normally danced by a member of the ''corps de ballet''. Such rôles are often made in pairs, that is, two corps dancers, dance together, frequently in mirror imag ...
, and in some cases the
corps de ballet
In ballet, the ''corps de ballet'' (; French for "body of the ballet") is the group of dancers who are not principal dancers or soloists. They are a permanent part of the ballet company and often work as a backdrop for the principal dancers.
...
. It usually consists of an ''entrée'' (introduction), a ''grand adage'', sometimes a dance for the corps de ballet (often referred to as the ''ballabile''), optional variations (solo dances) for the
demi-soloists Demi-soloist can have one of two meanings in the ballet. The first is for a solo rôle normally danced by a member of the ''corps de ballet''. Such rôles are often made in pairs, that is, two corps dancers, dance together, frequently in mirror imag ...
, variations for the lead ballerina or danseur or both, and a ''coda'' (sometimes referred to as a ''coda générale'' or ''grand coda''), which concludes the suite.
Formats
The grand pas appears in a variety of formats and may employ varying numbers of dancers. For example, a ''
grand pas de deux
In ballet, a pas de deux ( French, literally "step of two") is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. The pas de deux is characteristic of classical ballet and can be found in many wel ...
'' is performed by only two dancers; this typically serves as the