Movements in ballet are generally referred to as steps or steps combinations. Ballet steps are most often named after the French terms for basic positions in the feet and arms, or the Italian names for basic movement patterns.
The French terms include plié (bending), relevé (rising), grand jeté (large jump) and saut de basque (jumping with a turn). The Italian terms include pas de bourrée (small step with a turn) and chassé (sliding).
Most ballet steps involve intricate footwork that requires strength, control, flexibility and coordination. Ballet dancers must be able to move their feet quickly and accurately to execute combinations of steps such as entrechat quatre (jumping with four crossed feet) or entrechat cinq (jumping with five crossed feet). Other popular ballet steps include pirouettes, relevés, grand battements, pas de chat, ronds de jambe en l’air and fouettés.
As ballet is an art form that is over 400 years old, there are many different styles of classical ballet that have emerged over time. Each style has its own set of movements which have been adapted from older forms of dance.
For example, Russian ballet has its own set of steps such as the tour jeté while French ballet includes the sissonne. Other styles such as neoclassical ballet incorporate elements from contemporary dance.
Conclusion:
Movements in ballet are referred to as steps or step combinations and are named after either French or Italian terms. Steps involve intricate footwork that require strength, control and flexibility along with coordination. Different styles of classical ballet have their own sets of movements which have been adapted from older forms of dance such as Russian or French ballets and neoclassical ballets which incorporate elements from contemporary dance.