Ballet Vocabulary
Key to phonetic pronunciation (all sounds in English):
zh = s as in measure, leisure. oo = oo as in shoot, zoo.
ew = u as in cupid. ahn = on as in concert.
eh = ai as in pair. ohn = on as in long.
oh = o as in role. ohm = om as in come.
Adagio, slow movements mainly working the classical line, flexibility, strenght, stamina,
balance and poise.
Allegro, brisk movements mainly working lightness, speed and elevation.
Arabesque (ah-rah-BESK), the longest line in ballet.
en Arriere (ah nah-RYEHR), backwards.
Assemble (ah-sahm-BLAY), to assemble.
en Avant (ah na-VAHN), forwards.
Balance (bah-lahn-SAY), rocking step.
Balancoire (bah-lahn-SWARR), swinging movement (normally done at 90 degrees or higher
with body movement).
Ballonne (bah-luh-NAY), ball like, bouncing movement.
Ballotte (bah-luh-TAY), tossed.
petit Battement (puh-TEE baht-MAHN), small beats around the ankle.
Battement tendu soutenu (baht-MAHN tahn-DEW soot-NEW), a tendu with the supporting leg
simultaneously executing a plie.
Battement soutenu (baht-MAHN soot-NEW), a small coupe developpe with the supporting leg
simultaneously executing a plie.
Brise (bree-ZAY), broken.
Brise vole (bree-ZAY voh-LAY), flying brise.
Cabriole (kah-bree-ohl), caper.
Cambre, arched.
Chaines (shay-NAY), chained, linked movement.
Changement de pieds (shahnzh-MAHN duh pyay), changes of the feet.
Chasse (shah-SAY), to chase.
Cinq (sank), five.
Ciseaux, scissors
Cloche (klohsh), bell like movement (normally done at 45 degrees with a stop at each end).
Cou-de-pied (koo-duh-pyay), neck of the foot.
Coupe (koo-PAY), to cut.
Couru (koo-REW), to run.
Croise (krwah-ZAY), crossed direction of the body (devant, derriere).
temps de Cuisse (tahn duh KWEES), step of the thigh.
en Dedans (ahn duh-DAHN), inwards.
Degage (DAY-gah-ZHAY), to disengage.
en Dehors (ahn duh-OR), outwards.
Demi Plie (duh-MEE plee-AY), half bend. Purpose: for elasticity & connectedness of movement.
Derriere (deh-RYEHR), behind, back.
Dessous (duh-SOO), under.
Dessus (duh-SEW), over.
Detourne (DAY-toor-NAY), to turn aside.
Developpe (DAYV-luh-PAY), to unfold.
Ecarte (AY-kar-TAY), split apart (direction of the body done @ 1/8 devant and derriere).
Echappe (AY-shah-PAY), to escape.
Efface (ay-fah-SAY), shaded (direction of the body done @ 1/8 devant and derriere).
Elan, attack.
Elance (AY-lahn-SAY), to dart.
Emboite (ahn-bwah-TAY), boxed, fitted together.
Entrachat quatre (ahn-truh-SHAH KA-truh), four crossings (2nd jump in ballet that does not
change feet).
Entrachat cinq (ahn-truh-SHAH sank), five crossings (similar to entrachat quatre with a coupe
ending).
En royale (ahn rwah-YAL), royal, four crossings (2nd jump in ballet that changes feet).
Entrachat trois (ahn-truh-SHAH trwah), three crossings, (similar to en royale with a coupe
landing).
Entrachat six (ahn-truh-SHAH seess), six crossings (3rd jump in ballet to change feet).
Entrachat sept (ahn-truh-SHAH set), seven crossings (similar to entrachat six with a coupe
ending).
En croix, in the shape of a cross.
En L’air (ahn lehr), in the air.
Entrelace, laced.
Epaulement (AY-pohl-MAHN), shouldered.
Failli (fah-YEE), giving way.
Ferme (fehr-MAY), closed.
Flic Flac (fleek-FLAK), crack of the whip.
Fondu (fohn-DEW), to melt. Purpose: for coordination of the head, arms and legs.
Fouette (fweh-TAY), whipped.
Frappe (frah-PAY), to hit or strike. Purpose: for speed and flexibility in the knee and ankle.
Glissade (glee-SAHD), to glide.
Grand Passe (grahn pah-SAY), large pass (changes feet).
Jete (zhuh-TAY), to throw.
en Manege (ahn ma-NEZH), steps done in a circle.
Ouvert(e) (oo-VEHR, oo-VEHRT), open.
Pas de Deux (pah duh ah-duh), step of two.
Pas de basque (pah duh bahsk), step from the "Basque" country.
Pas de bourree (pah duh boo-RAY), bourree step.
Pas de chat (pah duh shah), step of the cat.
Pas de cheval (pah duh shuh-VAL), step of the horse.
Pas de ciseaux (pah duh see-ZOH), scissors step.
Pas de poisson (pah duh pwah-SOHN), fish step.
Penche (pahn-SHAY), to lean.
Petit rond de jambe par terre (puh-TEE rohn duh ZHAHNB pahr tehr), small circle of the leg on
the ground. Purpose: to work the turnout.
Pique (pee-KAY), to stab.
Pirouette (peer-WET), whirl or spin.
Port de bras (por duh brah), carriage of the arms.
Promenade (pruhm-NAD), to walk.
Releve (ruhl-VAY), raised in (working leg closing to supporting)
Releve lent (ruhl-VAY lahn), to rise slowly.
Renverse (rahn-vehr-SAY), upset, tipped.
Retire (ruh-tee-RAY), withdrawn (a passe that rests).
Saute (soh-TAY), to jump.
Sautille (soh-tee-YAY), hopping.
Sissonne (see-SUN), scissor like movement.
Soubresaut (soo-bruh-SOH), sudden spring (1st jump in ballet that does not change feet).
Sous-sus (soo-SEW), under-over (sprung rise bringing in both feet equally).
Soutenu (soot-NEW), to sustain.
Temps leve (tahn luh-VAY), raising movement (a jump from 1 to 1).
Temps lie (tahn LEEYAY), connected movement.
Tombe (tohm-BAY), to fall.
Tour en l’air (toor ahn LEHR), to turn in the air.
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