Ballet II Intermediate Vocabulary

Samantha Milano

Definitions: 

Croise: One of the directions of epaulement. The crossing of the legs with the body placed at an oblique angle to the audience. The disengaged leg may be crossed in front or in the back.

Efface: One of the directions of epaulement, in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view. This direction is termed “ouvert” in the French method. Efface is also used to qualify a pose in which the legs are open (not crossed). This pose may be taken devant or derriere, either a` terre or l’air.

Ecarte devant: The dancer faces either one of the two front corners of the room with the leg that is closer to the audience pointed in the second position a terre or raised to the second position en l’air. When this position is taken with the R leg extended, the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience, facing corner 8 with the R leg in the second position pointe tendue a terre or raised to the second position en l’air pointing toward corner 2. The arms are held with the R arm curved over the head in the line of vision and the L arm held in demi-seconde position. The body leans to the left with the head turned to the right and the eyes looking leans to the left with the head turned to the right and the eyes looking up at the R hand.

Derriere: The dancer faces either one of the two front corners of the room with the leg that is closer to the audience pointed in the second position a terre or raised to the second position en l’air. When this position is taken with the L leg extended, the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience, facing corner 8 with the R leg in the second position pointe tendue a terre or raised to the second position en l’air pointing toward corner 6. The arms are held with the L arm curved over the head in the line of vision and the R arm held in demi-seconde position. The body leans to the right with the head turned to the right and the eyes looking down at the extended R arm.

À la quatrième devant: is with the working leg stretched out to the front; à la quatrième derrière is with the working leg stretched to the back.
devant:  Directed in front of the body.

Five Classes of Jumps

1 Saut (é): Jump. A jump off both feet, landing with feet in in the same position.

   Temps Levé: This is a hop from one foot with the other raised in any position. The instep is fully arched when leaving the ground and the spring must come from the pointing of the toe and the extension of the leg after the demi-plié. 

3 Jeté: Throwing step. A jump from one foot to the other in which the working leg is brushed into the air and appears to have been thrown. 

4 Assemble: Assembled or joined together. A step in which the working foot slides well along the ground before being swept into the air. As the foot goes into the air the dancer pushes off the floor with the supporting leg, extending the toes. Both legs come to the ground simultaneously in the fifth position. If an assemblé is porté it requires a preparatory step such as a glissade to precede it. If an assemblé is en tournant it must be preceded by a preparatory step. 

5 Sissonne: It is a jump from both feet onto one foot with the exception of sissonne fermée, sissonne tombée and sissonne fondue, which finish on two feet. Sissonne may be performed petite or grande. The petites sissonnes are sissonne simple, sissonne fermée, sissonne ouverte at 45 degrees and sissonne tombée at 45 degrees. The grandes sissonnes are sissonne ouverte at 90 degrees, sissonne renversée and sissonne soubresaut.