Ballet has hundreds of named steps, each described in precise French terminology. For new students and parents, the sheer volume of names can be overwhelming. This guide covers the most important ballet moves by category — barre exercises, centre work, jumps, and turns — so you can follow class instructions, understand corrections, and track a student’s progress through the syllabus.
Ballet Barre Exercises: Names and Descriptions
Every ballet class begins at the barre. These exercises warm the body, establish alignment, and develop the strength required for centre work. For more on the vocabulary used at barre, see our complete ballet glossary.
- Pliés (grand and demi) – Bending and straightening the knees. Demi plié goes halfway; grand plié goes to the full depth. Done in all five positions, they warm the Achilles tendon, knees, and hip flexors.
- Battements tendus – The working foot slides along the floor until fully pointed, then slides back. The most fundamental barre exercise, developing footwork and turnout.
- Battements dégagés (dégagés) – Like tendus but the foot lifts slightly off the floor at the end. Builds speed and articulation.
- Rond de jambe à terre – The working foot traces a half circle on the floor, either en dehors (outward) or en dedans (inward). Develops hip rotation and coordination.
- Battements frappés – The working foot strikes sharply against the ankle before extending. Builds the fast, sharp action needed for petite allegro.
- Adagio – Slow, controlled extensions and développés, held at height. Develops strength, balance, and line.
- Grands battements – High swinging kicks of the working leg to 90° or beyond. The most dynamic barre exercise.
Ballet Centre Positions and Poses
After barre, students work in the centre of the room without support. Key poses include:
- Arabesque – Standing on one leg, the other extended behind in a straight line from hip to toe. There are multiple forms (first, second, third, fourth arabesque) varying in arm and body position. See our dedicated arabesque guide.
- Attitude – Like arabesque but the raised leg is bent at the knee, roughly 90°. Can be attitude derrière (back) or devant (front).
- Arabesque penchée – An arabesque where the body tilts forward and the back leg rises above horizontal, sometimes beyond 180°.
- Effacé – An open diagonal position with arms and legs appearing uncrossed from the audience’s perspective.
- Croisé – A crossed diagonal position where the legs appear crossed when viewed from the front.
- Écarté – “Separated”; the working leg extends to second position while the body tilts away from it.
Ballet Jump Names
Jumps are divided into petit allegro (small, quick jumps) and grand allegro (large, travelling jumps):
Petit Allegro (Small Jumps)
- Sauté – A simple jump from two feet to two feet in first or second position.
- Échappé sauté – Taking off from fifth position and landing in second (or fourth), then closing back to fifth.
- Assemblé – The working foot brushes the floor, both feet meet in the air, landing in fifth.
- Jeté – A jump throwing weight from one foot to the other; the basic building block of many bigger jumps.
- Glissade – A smooth gliding step (not technically a jump, but the preparatory step for most jumps).
- Pas de chat – A catlike jump where each foot lifts separately, knees bent, before landing.
- Sissonne – Takes off from two feet, lands on one; can travel in any direction.
- Entrechat – A jump in which the legs cross repeatedly in the air; entrechat quatre crosses twice (four crossings), entrechat six three times.
Grand Allegro (Large Jumps)
- Grand jeté – A large split leap travelling through the air, the most recognisable jump in ballet.
- Grand jeté en tournant (tour jeté) – A grand jeté with a half turn in the air.
- Cabriole – A jump in which one leg beats against the other in the air; can be devant or derrière.
- Manège – A series of jumps or turns travelling in a circle around the stage; a grand allegro finale.
Ballet Turn Names
- Pirouette – A complete turn on one foot, either en dehors (outward, from fourth or second) or en dedans (inward, from fourth). Multiple pirouettes are counted: singles, doubles, triples.
- Fouetté en tournant – A series of turns where the working leg whips out to the side on each rotation; the famous 32 fouettés in Swan Lake are the most celebrated sequence in ballet.
- Chaîné turns – A chain of fast half-turns on alternating feet, travelling across the floor; also called chaînés déboulés.
- Piqué turn (tour piqué) – Stepping directly onto a straight leg on pointe and turning; most commonly seen in sequences across the diagonal.
- Soutenu en tournant – A sustained turn in fifth position with a relevé; often used as a preparation or transitional turn.
- Tour en l’air – A full jump with a complete turn in the air; a single turn is standard, double turns advanced, triple turns exceptional.
Ballet Steps for Beginners: What to Expect
Students in Primary and Grade 1 (RAD syllabus) will encounter a small, manageable vocabulary: pliés, tendus, sautés, chassés, and simple port de bras. By Grade 3–4 students add pas de chat, assemblé, sissonne, and basic pirouette preparation. The full vocabulary of jumps and turns builds progressively across all grades through to Advanced 2 and Vocational level.
If your child is confused by a teacher’s instruction, our ballet terms glossary covers every term alphabetically with clear descriptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common ballet moves?
The most fundamental ballet moves are pliés (bending the knees), tendus (sliding the foot to a point), relevés (rising onto the balls of the feet), arabesques (standing on one leg with the other extended behind), and pirouettes (turning on one foot). Every ballet class, from Primary level to professional company class, begins with pliés and tendus at the barre.
What are ballet poses called?
Ballet poses are named in French. The most recognisable include arabesque (one leg extended behind), attitude (raised leg bent at the knee), effacé (open diagonal position), croisé (crossed diagonal position), and écarté (separated position). Each of these describes the relationship between the body, arms, and legs relative to the audience.
What is a grand jeté?
A grand jeté is a large split leap where the dancer jumps off one foot, splits both legs in the air, and lands on the other foot. It travels through space and is one of the most visually dramatic moves in ballet. To execute it well, a dancer needs strong battements (leg swings), good elevation, and a flexible hip flexor on the back leg.
What are ballet turns called?
The main ballet turns are: pirouette (spinning on one foot), fouetté en tournant (whipping turns), chaîné turns (fast chain of half-turns), piqué turns (stepping onto pointe and spinning), and tour en l’air (turning in the air during a jump). Each requires different technique — pirouettes need a strong preparation and sharp “spot” (fixing the eyes on one point), while chaînés need speed and a tight fifth position.
What is a pas de chat?
A pas de chat (literally “step of the cat”) is a light, catlike jump where each foot lifts separately in sequence. From fifth position, the back foot draws up to retiré, immediately followed by the front foot. Both feet are briefly in the air with the knees bent. It lands in fifth with the foot that left first touching down last. It is introduced in Grades 2–3 (RAD) and appears throughout the repertoire in divertissement roles.
What does allegro mean in ballet?
Allegro in ballet refers to the section of class devoted to jumps, performed to quick music. Petit allegro uses small jumps (assemblé, sissonne, jeté, pas de chat) requiring speed and precision. Grand allegro uses large travelling jumps (grand jeté, cabriole) requiring power and elevation. Most class structures progress from barre → adagio → petit allegro → grand allegro → pirouettes.