Relevé: In ballet and gymnastics to rise or lift onto the ball of the foot.
Tag Archives: Ballet
Definition: Port de Bras
Port de Bras: This term literally means carriage of the arms. It refers to the set positions of the arms as well as the manner in which the arms are moved from position to position during gymnastics dance and ballet.
Definition: Pointe
Pointe: In classical ballet, when a dancer uses special shoes (called pointe shoes or toe shoes) to dance en pointe (on their toes). The arch of the top of the foot is at its maximum when the dancer “pushes over”, causing the heel of the foot to be almost directly over the toes. Children do […]
Definition: Plié
Plié: A gymnastics and dance movement. Most movements in ballet technique begin and end with a plié, which is a bend and stretch of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Demi- and grand-pliés are done as an exercise at the beginning of the barre work and are done as half-bends and full-bends of the knee.
Definition: Pirouette
Pirouette: A term used in both gymnastics and dance to refer to a turn around the body’s longitudinal axis. It is used to refer to both handstand turning moves on bars and p-bars and also to refer to a dancing element, e.g. to turn on one foot. Turns for both are measured in degrees or […]
Definition: Passé
Passé: A basic gymnastics and dance balance position where one leg is turned outward with the thigh at horizontal, knee bent and toes touching the inner knee of the other leg. Commonly used in hops, jumps and turns.