Short answer: Why Does Ballet Use French? Ballet developed in France in the 17th century under King Louis XIV, who established the first professional ballet academy — the Académie Royale de Danse — in…
Why Does Ballet Use French?
Ballet developed in France in the 17th century under King Louis XIV, who established the first professional ballet academy — the Académie Royale de Danse — in Paris in 1661. French became the international language of ballet, and today the same terms are used in every studio worldwide, from London to Sydney to New York.
Basic Positions and Posture Terms
- Turnout — outward rotation of the legs from the hip socket
- Plié — a bending of the knees; demi-plié is a half bend, grand plié a full bend
- Relevé — rising onto the balls of the feet (or onto pointe)
- En pointe / sur les pointes — dancing on the tips of the toes in pointe shoes
- Épaulement — the placement and movement of the shoulders
Common Ballet Movements
- Tendu — stretching the foot along the floor without lifting it
- Dégagé — brushing the foot off the floor to a small height
- Arabesque — standing on one leg with the other extended behind at 90° or higher
- Attitude — one leg raised behind with a bent knee
- Passé / Retiré — the foot drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg
- Fondu — a melting or sinking down
- Grand battement — a large kick of the whole leg
- Jeté — a jump from one foot to the other
- Assemblé — a jump where both feet come together in the air
- Sauté — a jump (used as a prefix)
Ballet Terms for Turns
- Pirouette — a complete rotation of the body on one leg
- Chaîné turns — a series of fast, linked turns across the floor
- Fouetté — a whipping action used to propel turns
- En dedans — turning inward (toward the supporting leg)
- En dehors — turning outward (away from the supporting leg)
Class Direction Terms
- À la seconde — to the side
- En croix — in the shape of a cross (front, side, back, side)
- Croisé — crossed; legs appearing to cross when viewed from the front
- Effacé — open; legs appearing open when viewed from the front
- Adage / Adagio — slow, flowing movements requiring control and balance
- Allegro — fast, lively movements; grand allegro involves big jumps
- Port de bras — the carriage of the arms
Ballet Attire Terms
- Tutu — the ballet skirt; classical (flat, stiff) or romantic (long, soft)
- Leotard — the close-fitting base garment worn in class
- Pointe shoes — reinforced shoes that allow dancing on the tips of the toes
- Character shoes — low-heeled shoes for character and national dance
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Frequently Asked Questions
What language are ballet terms in?
Ballet terms are in French, established as the standard language of ballet by the Académie Royale de Danse in the 17th century.
What does plié mean in ballet?
Plié means “bent” in French. It refers to bending the knees while keeping the feet turned outward. A demi-plié is a half bend; a grand plié goes to the lowest point.
What is an arabesque in ballet?
An arabesque is where the dancer stands on one leg and extends the other leg straight behind at 90 degrees or higher — one of the most iconic shapes in classical ballet.
What does en pointe mean?
En pointe means “on the tips of the toes.” It refers to dancing in pointe shoes, which have a reinforced box allowing the dancer to support their full weight on the toe tips.
What is the difference between petit allegro and grand allegro?
Petit allegro covers small, quick jumps (glissades, assemblés, petits jetés). Grand allegro involves large travelling jumps such as grand jetés and tours en l’air.