What Are the Terms of Ballet?

Ballet

Ballet is an art form that has been around for centuries. It is a physical expression of emotion and music, combining grace and strength to create a unique and beautiful art form. Ballet dancers use their bodies to tell stories, express emotions, and bring music to life.

Ballet requires precision and discipline from the dancer, as well as an understanding of the techniques used in classical ballet. The foundation of ballet consists of five key terms: Plié, Relevé, Pas de Chat, Grand Jeté, and Pirouette.

Plié is a French term meaning “to bend” or “to pleat”. In ballet, it refers to bending the knees from a standing or demi-plié (half-bent) position into a deeper plié (fully bent). Pliés are often used as preparation for jumps or turns.

Relevé is French for “to rise” or “lift up”. In ballet it refers to rising up on the toes with one foot while the other foot remains flat on the ground. This step is often used as an introduction to jumps or turns.

Pas de Chat, literally translated as “step of the cat” in French, is a jump where the dancer leaps off one foot and lands on both feet at once. During this jump the dancer should be in fifth position with their arms in second or fourth position.

Grand Jeté, which translates from French as “big throw”, is a long jump where the dancer leaps off one foot with their legs extended forward and lands on both feet at once in fifth position with their arms in fourth position.

Pirouette, which translates from French as “whirl” or “twist” is when a dancer spins around while turning on one foot while maintaining their balance and alignment throughout the turn. This step requires great control and balance from the dancer as they must be able to maintain stability during multiple revolutions without losing momentum or control of their body alignment.

Conclusion: The five terms of ballet – plié, relevé, pas de chat, grand jeté, and pirouette – provide dancers with basic foundations for understanding classical ballet technique and movement vocabulary; however these terms are only some steps in mastering this beautiful art form that combines grace and strength through physical expression of emotion and music.