At TLFCB, students are introduced to French ballet terminology from a very early stage. This vocabulary serves as a medium of communication between teachers and students, fellow dancers, and even with those one might connect with unexpectedly. The verbal language of dance is extremely evocative and no ballet student or dancer can hear these words without a vivid image immediately coming to mind.
This page serves as a resource for students to access ballet vocabulary and deepen their awareness of these terms. We urge you to understand that the following tabs are not separate or isolated. As a student progresses through the grades, they must continue to remember and use terms learned in earlier levels. For example, a student in Grade 4 must know all the terms from Grade 1 through Grade 4, and build on that knowledge as they move into Grade 5, and so on.
Vocabulary / Additions to vocabulary
Bras bas – arms low
En couronne – crown
À la seconde – arms in second
Demi – half
Grand plié – full bend
Battement tendu – stretched movement
Grand battement – big movement
En croix – in the shape of a cross
Retiré – to draw up
Dégagé – to disengage
Port de bras – carriage of the arms
Devant – in front
Derriere – at the back
En avant – (moving) forward
En arrière – (moving) backward
Chassé – to slide
Posé – to step
Adage – slow and controlled movements
En avant (arms) – in front
Attitude – a picture
Allegro – fast lively movements
Sauté – to jump
Changement – changes/changing (jump from 3rd position to 3rd position)
Petit – small
Petits jetés derrière – small throws at the back
Retiré sauté en arrière – drawn up jumps backwards
Posé temps levé – step and hop
Polka – name of a dance