| Ballet glossary |
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The language of classical ballet is French as it was codified at the Académie Royale de Danse during the reign of Louis XIV. Some of the terms such as ‘jeté’ (literally throw) for jump, and ‘pirouette’ for turn are used very generally, others are more specific. Plié (Fr. plier – to bend) A bend of the knees, without straining the muscles. An exercise at the beginning of class to encourage flexibility and improve the turnout and placing of the body. Tendu (Fr. tendre – to stretch) A stretching of the leg and foot, well turned out, in which one leg slides forward, sideways or backwards, without lifting the toes from the floor. These exercises help to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the legs. Fondu (Fr. fondre – to melt) As the muscles are warmed, the foot and leg are raised higher in preparation for jumps. Rond de jambe (Fr. circling of the leg) Exercises to help turnout at the hip socket, either á terre – a semi-circle being described on the ground – or en l’air – the leg being extended at hip level. Grand battement (Fr. literally large scale beating of the air) The leg is thrown to the front, side and/or back with knee stretched and foot pointed and then brought down in a controlled manner, keeping the rest of the body as still and upright as possible throughout. This is an exercise to loosen the hip joint. Piqué (Fr. piquer – to prick) Step sharply onto pointe, without bending the knee. Fouetté (Fr. fouetter – to whip) More correctly rond de jambe fouetté en tournant.The working leg whips out to the side and then to the knee as the dancer turns on the supporting leg, rising onto pointe for each revolution. This step was developed by Italian dancers at the end of the nineteeth century so that they could perform as many as 32 consecutive fouettés, a trick that is featured in Odile’s seduction of Prince Siegfried in Act III of Swan Lake. Déboulé (Fr. débouler – to suddenly run away) Half turn, usually seen repeated in a chain of steps. Echappé relevé (Fr. literally lifted escape) A rise through the feet from a flat position onto pointe, then lowered back through the ball of the foot to the flat position. The dancer’s weight is evenly distributed throughout. This is an exercise to improve the articulation and suppleness of the feet. Frappé (Fr. frapper – to strike) Standing flat or on ¾ pointe with the raised foot flexed (not pointed) the leg is extended with the foot pointed and then brought back to the ankle. This exercise develops the flexibility of the foot, ankle and knee. Assemblé (Fr. assembler – to assemble) A jump from one foot to both, usually landing in fifth position. Sissones (Fr. ciseaux – scissors) A spring from two feet to one. Brisé volé (Fr. broken flight) During a jump the lower calves beat and the feet cross in the air. The dancer’s body is inclined forward or back in the direction of the beating legs. This step gives the illusion of flight. A diagonal of 24 brisés volés is featured in the solo for the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty. Tights It is essential that the dancers' legs are shown off to their very best advantage as bodyline is such an important visual aspect of ballet. Male dancers will usually wear matt cotton lycra tights which keep their shape whilst providing muscle support and comfort. Shoes The most recognisable visual image of Classical Ballet is a ballerina in a tutu and pointe shoes. The basic components of the traditional pointe shoe are the satin upper, the papers and hessain (which are used to for 'the block') and the leather sole. Contrary to popular belief, the pointe shoe does not contain a solid block of wood. The block is in fact made up of layers of paper and hessian sandwiched together with glue. Before the glue has dried, the maker shapes the block and creates the all important 'platform' using a smooth glass-faced hammer. Then the shoe is baked overnight in the oven, Finally, the dancer's individual measurements are marked so that the shoe can be cut down and bound to ensure the perfect fit. Positions of the feet and arms First Position Feet - Stand with feet together and legs rotated outwards at the hips so that the toes face a ‘ten to two’ position Arms - The arms form a curved shape in front of the body, level with the waist Second Position Feet - From first position, one foot slides to the side so that the feet are approximately 20 centimetres apart. Legs and feet remain at the same angle as above Arms - Held out to the sides with a slight curve, just below shoulder height Third Position Feet - One foot crosses in front of the other. The heel of the front foot meets the arch of the back foot. Legs and feet remain turned outwards Arms - One arm is in ‘first position’, the other arm is in ‘second position’ Fourth Position Feet - From third position, the front foot slides forward so that the feet are approximately 15 centimetres apart Arms - One arm remains in second position, the other arm forms a curve above the head Fifth Position Feet - Similar to third position, with the heel of the front foot level with the toes of the back foot. Legs and feet remain turned outwards Arms - Both arms are curved above the head so that they create a ‘frame’ for the face. |
