What Does Ecarte Mean in Ballet?

Ballet

Ecarte is one of the basic steps in ballet. It is used to describe an action of the leg that is extended to the side and then bent outward at the knee. In other words, it’s a sideways plié.

Ecarte is often seen as part of a combination of steps, such as a grand allegro or petit allegro. It can also be used as an entrance for a jump or turn. Ecartes are usually performed on both feet, though they can also be done on one foot only.

The movement of ecarté starts with the dancer extending their leg out to the side and then bending it outward at the knee and hip. The dancer will then release their foot back into its original position, usually with a pointed toe.

The term ecarté comes from French, meaning “to move away from” or “to separate” – which makes sense considering how dancers move their legs away from each other while executing this step. This motion embodies gracefulness and elegance when done correctly and can create beautiful lines in ballet performances.

An important thing to remember when doing an ecarté is that you want your hips to stay level with each other throughout the movement – if one hip moves up higher than the other, it can throw off your balance and make it difficult to maintain proper control over your movements. Additionally, you should keep your toes pointed downwards towards the floor while executing this step in order to maintain stability and avoid any unnecessary strain on your feet or ankles.

Ecarte is an essential ballet step that all dancers should practice so they can master its technique and use it effectively in their performances. When done correctly, it adds beauty and gracefulness that can truly elevate any performance!

Conclusion: Ecarte is an important basic step in ballet that involves extending one leg out to the side, bending it outward at the knee and hip, before releasing back into its original position with a pointed toe. The term comes from French meaning “to move away from” or “to separate” which makes sense considering how dancers move their legs away from each other while executing this step. When dancing ecarte, hips must remain level with each other throughout the movement and toes must be pointed downwards towards the floor for stability purposes; mastering this technique will provide beautiful lines in any ballet performance!