Glossary
The dance glossary
The words of dance, explained simply. A dictionary of ballet, contemporary and jazz terms — search, filter, understand.
36 terms
A
- ArabesqueBallet
- An arabesque is a balance on one leg with the other stretched behind, seeking the longest possible line of the body.
B
- BarreBallet
- The barre is the fixed handrail used for the first part of class, devoted to warming up and to placement.
C
- ChoreographerGeneral
- The choreographer is the person who conceives the choreography and directs the dancers.
- ChoreographyGeneral
- Choreography is the art of composing and organising danced movement. By extension, the word names the work itself.
- Contact improvisationContemporary
- Contact improvisation is an improvised dance for two or more, built on points of contact and the sharing of weight between bodies.
- ContractionContemporary
- The contraction comes from the Graham technique: the centre of the body hollows and contracts, then releases. It is an engine of expression.
- CounterbalanceContemporary
- A counterbalance is the balance created by two dancers who hold and lean against each other, each supporting the other.
- CreationGeneral
- A creation is a new work, built from scratch, as opposed to reviving an existing piece.
D
- Dress rehearsalGeneral
- The dress rehearsal is the final rehearsal in real conditions — costumes and lighting — just before the premiere.
E
- En-dehorsBallet
- En dehors is the outward rotation of the legs from the hip. It is the principle that underlies all classical dance.
- EnsembleGeneral
- The ensemble is the group of dancers dancing together, and by extension a passage danced by the whole group.
- ÉveilGeneral
- Éveil is a young child's first approach to dance: moving to music and discovering space, before any technique.
F
- FallContemporary
- A fall is letting the body drop, in a controlled way, to rebound or rise again. Weight becomes material for dance.
- Floor workContemporary
- Floor work covers the movements performed in contact with the floor — rolling, sliding, rising. It is one of the markers of contemporary dance.
- FouettéBallet
- A fouetté is a turn in which the free leg whips the air to power the rotation. It is often chained into a long series.
G
- Grand jetéBallet
- A grand jeté is a large leap in which the legs open into a split in mid-air, the body passing from one support to the other.
- GrooveJazz
- The groove is the way of inhabiting the rhythm, rooted in the floor. It is the heart of jazz energy.
I
- ImprovisationContemporary
- Improvisation is composing movement in the moment, with no choreography fixed in advance.
- IsolationJazz
- An isolation is the movement of a single part of the body — head, shoulders, hips — while the rest stays still. It is a signature of jazz.
J
- JetéBallet
- A jeté is a jump from one leg to the other, the free leg thrown into the air.
K
- KickJazz
- A kick is a leg thrown high, sharp and straight.
L
- LineGeneral
- The line is the shape the dancer's body draws in space. It is especially sought in classical dance.
M
- MusicalityGeneral
- Musicality is the art of placing movement within the music, matching its rhythm and its breath.
P
- Pas de bourréeJazz
- A pas de bourrée is a quick sequence of three steps, from one foot to the other. It is shared by ballet and jazz.
- Pas de deuxGeneral
- A pas de deux is a dance for two, often the central duet of a piece.
- PirouetteBallet
- A pirouette is a complete turn of the body on one leg, balanced on demi-pointe or on pointe.
- PlacementGeneral
- Placement is the correct organisation of the body — pelvis, back, supports — that makes movement solid and safe.
- PliéBallet
- A plié is a bending of the knees, turned outward, feet flat on the floor. It is the movement that prepares and cushions almost every jump.
- PointesBallet
- Pointe shoes have a stiffened tip that allows dancing on the very ends of the toes. By extension, the word names the technique itself.
- Port de brasBallet
- Port de bras is the way of placing and moving the arms, and the art of carrying them from one position to another.
R
- ReleaseContemporary
- Release is a technique built on letting go and on the weight of the body, opposite to classical hold, for fluid and economical movement.
- RelevéBallet
- A relevé is the rise onto demi-pointe or pointe, heels lifted off the floor.
- RepertoireGeneral
- A repertoire is the body of works that a company has created and can perform.
- Run-throughGeneral
- A run-through is a rehearsal of the whole piece, without stopping, to settle it before the stage.
S
- SpiralContemporary
- A spiral is a winding of the body around its own axis. It is very present in the contemporary vocabulary.
T
- TenduBallet
- A tendu is the gesture where the foot slides along the floor to a fully pointed tip without lifting off, stretching the whole leg. A barre fundamental.