front 1 Pirouette | back 1 an act of spinning on one foot, typically with the raised foot touching the knee of the supporting leg. |
front 2 Piqué | back 2 a sharp, pricking movement where a dancer transfers weight onto the working foot (either on demi-pointe or pointe) while the other leg is raised in the air |
front 3 Arabesque | back 3 a posture in which the body is supported on one leg, with the other leg extended horizontally backward. |
front 4 Battement | back 4 a range of movements involving an extension of the working leg to the front, side, or back |
front 5 Contraction | back 5 a shortened form of a word or group of words, often used in place of the full form |
front 6 Chaine | back 6 a series of small, quick turns performed in a straight line across the stage, often used for movement and transitions |
front 7 3-step turn | back 7 a basic movement where three steps are used to complete a turn, often a half or full turn |
front 8 Demi-Plie | back 8 a slight bending of the knees, where the heels remain on the ground |
front 9 Grand-Plie | back 9 a deep knee bend where the dancer's heels lift off the floor |
front 10 Tendu | back 10 a foundational movement where the dancer stretches a leg out to the front, side, or back, maintaining a point on the floor with the extended foot |
front 11 Degage | back 11 a basic movement where the working leg is brushed off the floor and extended in a straight line, then returned to a closed position |
front 12 Isolation | back 12 the technique of moving one specific part of the body independently from the rest while keeping the other parts stationary |
front 13 Polyrhythmic | back 13 the simultaneous execution of multiple, contrasting rhythmic patterns |
front 14 Jete | back 14 a jump in which a dancer springs from one foot to land on the other with one leg extended outward from the body while in the air. |
front 15 Saut de Chat | back 15 a classical ballet leap where the dancer lifts their front leg to a split position in the air while simultaneously pushing off with the back leg |
front 16 Pas de Deux | back 16 a dance duet performed by two dancers, typically a male and a female, in a classical ballet style |
front 17 Releve | back 17 a movement in which the dancer rises on the tips of the toes. |
front 18 Spiral | back 18 participants spiral into and out of a circle while holding hands, typically led by a leader using a grapevine step |
front 19 Step | back 19 any dance form where the steps or footwork are a primary focus |
front 20 Stomp | back 20 When the dancer or dancers make stomp movements in a dance. |
front 21 Stamp | back 21 a flat-footed sound where both the heel and ball of the foot hit the floor simultaneously, creating a single sound |
front 22 Dig | back 22 a movement where the heel of the free foot strikes the floor without transferring weight |
front 23 Improvisation | back 23 the spontaneous creation of movement, without pre-determined choreography |
front 24 Pas de bourrée | back 24 a three-step movement, meaning "step of the bourrée" |
front 25 Rond de jamb | back 25 a movement where the working leg draws a semi-circular or "D" shape with the foot on the floor or in the air |
front 26 Tombe | back 26 a controlled "fall" in ballet, where the dancer shifts weight from one leg to another, landing on the working leg in a plié |
front 27 Frappe | back 27 a movement where the working foot strikes the floor, then extends outward to a pointed or flexed position before returning to the original position |
front 28 Glissade | back 28 a sliding step, often used as a preparatory step before jumps or to connect other movements |
front 29 Echappe | back 29 a movement where a dancer slides or opens their feet from a closed position (like fifth position) to an open position (like second or fourth position) |
front 30 Attitude | back 30 a specific classical ballet position where one leg is lifted, bent at the knee, and held up behind the body (attitude derriere), or in front (attitude devant) |
front 31 Soutenu | back 31 a turn step where the dancer transitions between fifth position |
front 32 Develop | back 32 the dancer unfolds their leg from a bent position into a full extension |
front 33 Top rock | back 33 dance moves performed while standing up, typically at the beginning of a throwdown |
front 34 Get down | back 34 to start dancing or move to the music in an energetic and expressive way |
front 35 Flatback | back 35 a body position where the spine is kept parallel to the floor, resembling a flat surface |
front 36 Contraction | back 36 a forward curving of the spine, starting from the pelvis, with the muscles in the abdomen contracting and drawing inward |
front 37 Jazz Walk | back 37 a stylized form of walking, characterized by a tiptoeing motion and a forward-moving strut, often with a slinky or cat-like gait |
front 38 Jazz Square | back 38 a fundamental dance step in jazz dance (and other genres) where dancers create a square pattern with their feet |
front 39 Drop Swing | back 39 one partner leads the other down, towards the floor, while maintaining connection |
front 40 Prance | back 40 a movement where weight is transferred from one leg to the other, with emphasis on the shape of the foot as it leaves and returns to the floor |
front 41 Release | back 41 a technique or style that emphasizes letting go of unnecessary muscular tension to achieve greater ease, fluidity, and efficiency of movement. |
front 42 Extension | back 42 the ability to raise and hold a leg in the air |
front 43 Triplet | back 43 a series of three steps, often done in a down, up, up sequence |
front 44 Pantomime | back 44 a story or narrative conveyed through bodily movements and facial expressions, without the use of spoken words |