Ballet is a highly respected, highly professional dance form that has its root in the Italian Renaissance. It was later refined and popularised by French and Russian Dancing Schools. This means that a lot of terms that describe movement and theme in a ballet dance class are spoken using French or Italian words.
It will help new dancers a lot to familiarise themselves with some of the most basic terms dealing with ballet, including the position a dancer has to be in or hold and the steps involved in a movement. Here is a glimpse of the few:
Ballet Positions
Arabesque – French- in Arabic Fashion- A dance position where a dancer stands on one leg while extending the other leg backward.
Coup de pied – French- neck of the foot- A position of the arched working foot resting on the ankle position.
Fondu – French- melted- A position where the bending is made possible through the standing leg which bends and straightens while the other is either moving or stationary.
Plie – French- bent- A smooth and continuous bending of the knees outward with the upper body held upright. These could be of different types including the demi or half and the grand or big plie.
Retire –French- A position of the leg or foot in which the little toe of the working knee is under or behind the knee of the supporting foot.

Ballet Movements
Adagio– French/Italian -slowly, at ease- It is used to describe the slow movements of a dance which are performed with fluidity and grace. One of the most common forms of ballet exercise as well.
Allegro –Italian- happy- This term is used to describe the fast brisk movements of the dancer. It is sometimes used to refer to all kinds of jumps and is also part of basic ballet exercises.
Assemble – French- assembled- This involves the dancer starting a jump-off on one foot and finishing the landing on two feet.
Balance – French- balanced- It is a three-step dance movement that has the first foot stepping out in a knee-bent formation. The other foot comes to the front or back, touches without transferring weight, and then returns to the beginning foot.
Changement – French-change- it means changing the foot after a jump.
Croise – French- crossed- It means a movement such that the legs appear crossed to the audience.
Emboite – French- fitted together- It refers to a movement where the dancer is jumping from one foot to the other with the foot pointed towards the floor and changing legs each jump.
Jete – French- throwing- It means a type of jump where the dancer extends one leg then jumps off the floor with the other.
Pirouette – French- spin- The most common term, it means a basic turn that can include multiple rotations with the dancer turning around on one leg with the other leg off the ground.
Sissonne – French- scissors- It is essentially the reverse of assembling as the dancer begins the jump on two feet and lands on one foot at the end.

If you are interested in finding a class for your child or for yourself, contact Virtuous Dance Center!