If you’re a newcomer to ballet, the plethora of positions, steps and names can be confusing. Gain a deeper understanding of the dancer’s language with this easy-to-read ballet dictionary from Atlanta Ballet.
Adagio (dah AH-goo) – Slow, sustained and gentle movement that builds the dancer’s control and endurance. It includes static positions that allow the beauty of the dancer’s lines and extensions to be appreciated and flowing movements such as promenades and turns that require fluidity and grace. In a pas de deux, an adagio is often the final section where the dancer and her partner demonstrate their partnership and connection through beautiful and elegant poses.
Balletomane (bal lay toe man) – A ballet fan or enthusiast. Choreographer – A person who creates the steps and patterns of a ballet or dance. Ballet Master or Ballet Mistress – The person in a ballet company who gives the daily company class and rehearses the ballets in the company’s repertoire.
Developpe (dEV-lope) – A slow movement in which the working leg is brought up to cou-de-pied or retire and then extended outward, passing through an attitude, to the front (devant), side (a la seconde) or back (derriere). A slow variation of the changement emboite.
Couru (coor-UE) – A quick running motion in which the feet are kept together and the legs are in a tight fifth position. It can be done en pointe, on demi-pointe or adagio. It can travel forward, backward and to either side.
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