Ballet Terms

The Basis of Ballet Terms

As a general rule, the majority of ballet terminology finds its roots in French. The impressively flowery names of particular dance steps can seem intimidating, however once you spend a bit of time becoming acquainted with them, you will find they are easier to learn than it seems!

Beyond the basic French vocabulary, many ballerinas have slang terms or nicknames for various steps, which you may pick up through your time spent in the studio. These can also be helpful toward strengthening your dance knowledge. Below are a few popular steps to memorize, complete with pronunciations to assist you in sounding like a seasoned pro.

Arabesque (air-uh-besk)

One of the most common and basic ballet stances, an arabesque is simply the body balanced with one leg extended behind and to the right. In profile, this should exhibit perfect lines, and the arms vary upon the position of the grounded foot and the specific choreography. Shoulders are aligned in the direction the body is facing, and the arabesque is featured not only in a standing position, but in jumps and spins as well.

Battement (baht-MAHN)

The term comes from the word “beating,” as in a beating movement of the leg. Both grands battements and petits battements can be executed, the former coming much higher into the air than the latter. These can be stretched or bent, put in combination with other steps. It is commonly found in basic ballet exercises, used for strength training, however it is often also found in performances.

Chasse (sha-SAY)

When small children attempt a chasse, they often adorably resemble a galloping pony. In this across the floor step, one foot literally chases the other one, causing a canter across the studio floor. Advanced dancers can achieve great height with chasses, creating gorgeous lines and impressive technique that is, in actuality, quite simple to execute.

Glissade (glee-SAHD)

Taking its name from the word “glide,” this traveling leap starts with one foot gliding along the floor and then taking off into the air with the other foot following suit. Often this is taken from a plie, which is simply a bent stance from a variety of ballet positions. Glissades come in six forms, (devant, derriere, dessous, dessus, en avant, and en arriere), which is really just a fancy way of saying a dancer leaps from different foot positioning and directions.

Jete (shuh-TAY)

A jete is one of the most basic of ballet leaps, in which the legs reach a 90 degree position in the air, much like floating in the position of the splits. A grand jete is a large jete, an impressive leap into the air. Petit jetes are a miniature version, while a tour jete involves a complete body rotation in the air with the legs switching positions. With a traditional jete, it is important for the ballerina to hold a specific pose (namely an arabesque) in the air before returning to the ground.

There are countless other ballet steps to be learned and memorized, and the more you can manage to absorb, the easier choreography will come to you. When you advance as a dancer and eventually begin to move “en pointe” (wearing pointe shoes), you will have to go back to basics to learn how to execute steps with these new and more challenging foot positions.

To find a complete list of ballet dance steps, visit a quality website such as the dictionary published by the American Ballet Theatre. Through visualizing the steps in writing, you will also gain inspiration for your next routine when a choreography opportunity arises.