Ballet Terms
plié
to bend
demi
half
grand
big, full
fondu
to melt
Battement tendu
stretched beat
(Battement) Glissé
to glide
Ronds de jambe
circle of the leg
À terre
on the floor
En l'air
in the air
Assemblé soutenu
to bring together, sustained
En dehors
outside
En dedans
inside
Retiré
to draw up
Frappé
to strike
Developé
to develop
En croix
on the cross, in each position
Relevé
to snatch up
Echappé
to escape
Grands Battement
big beat
Porte de Bras
movement of the arms
Bras bas
arms down
En avant
to the front
À la second
to the side, in second
Bras croisé
arms crossed
En couronne
to crown, crowning
Demi bras
half arms
Demi second
half second
Attitude grecque
Greek attitude
Arabesque
long line
1 Arabesque
opposite arms as back leg
2 Arabesque
same arm as back leg
Croisé
crossed
Overte
open
En face
facing front
Ecarté
wide apart
Devant
front
Derrière
back
En avant
to the front, traveling
En arriere
to the back, traveling
Passé en avant
passing to the front
Passé en arriere
passing to the back
De côté
to the side
Posé
to step
Chassé
to chase
Petits
small
Jeté
to throw
Sauté
to jump
Changement
to change
Temps levé
to hop
Detourné
to go around
Glissade
to slide
Assemblé
to assemble
Pas de basque
step of the skirt
Pas de chat
step of the cat
Balancé
waltz step
Soubresaut
to hug together in a jump
Coupé
to cut
Sissonne
scissor step
Pas de bourée
running step
Demi pointe
half pointe
Dessus
over
Dessous
under
Temps Lie
linking step 9/8
In opposition
opposite arm to back leg
Ordinaire
same arm in position as back leg
Enchainment
chain of steps
Foueté
to whip
Contretemps
against time
Sur
on
Cou de pieds
neck of the foot
Emboité
boxed step
Fermé
to close
Piqué
to pierce
Raccourci
to shorten