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to Last Page abstract dance A plotless work composed of pure dance movements, although the composition may suggest a mood or subject. adagio Any dance to slow music; also, part of the classical pas de deux in ballet. air, en l' In ballet, a step done off the ground--for instance, tour en l'air, rond de jambe en l'air. It is the opposite of par terre. allegro A dance with a fast or moderate tempo. allonge In ballet, an elongated line; in particular, the horizontal line of an arabesque with one arm stretched front and the other back. arabesque In ballet, the extension of one leg straight in back at 90 degrees, with shoulders square; the position of the arms may vary. assemble In ballet, a jump from one to both feet, usually landing in fifth position. attitude In ballet, a pose in which one leg is raised in back or in front with knee bent, usually with one arm raised. balance A step that rocks from one foot to the other, usually in 3/4 time. ballet From the Italian balletto, diminutive of ballo, "dance." Classical theatrical dancing based on the danse d'ecole, the rules and vocabulary that were codified around 1700 in France. ballet blanc A ballet in which the women wear white tutus, such as the second and fourth acts of Swan Lake. ballet d'action A ballet with a plot, usually tragic, advocated by reformer Jean Georges Noverre, ballet master of the Paris Opera, to bring dramatic coherence to the performance of ballet. ballet de cour, le (court ballet) Spectacles for entertainment, usually with allegorical or mythological themes, performed by the aristocracy in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, combining music, recitatives, and mime. ballo Standard Italian dances and their music of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. ballon In ballet, the ability of a dancer to remain suspended in air during a jump; elasticity in jumping. ballroom dances Social dances usually performed by couples, including the fox-trot, waltz, tango, rumba, and cha cha. bas, en In ballet, low, as in placement of arms. basic movement In ballroom dance, a characteristic figure that remains constant. basse danse A solemn court dance usually in duple time, popular in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. battement A beating movement of the legs. bourree, pas de A series of small, fast steps executed with the feet very close together. brise In ballet, a jump off one foot that is "broken" by a beating of the legs in the air. cabriole In ballet, a leap in which the lower leg beats against the upper one at an angle, before the dancer lands again on the lower leg. cachucha A Spanish dance in 3/4 or 3/8 time with castanets. cakewalk An African-American dance in which couples strut and compete with high kicks and fast steps. cambre In ballet, a bend from the waist to the side or to the back. cancan Originating around 1830 as a social dance, by 1844 it had become a raucous dance performed in French music halls. chasse A sliding step in which one foot "chases" and displaces the other. chat, pas de Catlike leap in which one foot follows the other into the air, knees bent; the landing is in the fifth position. ciseaux A jump in which the legs open in second position in the air, resembling a scissors. coda In ballet, the third and final part of the classical pas de deux. contraction A basic movement in the technique of Martha Graham, based on breath inhalation and exhalation. contredanse Popular social dance during the eighteenth century; done in rows or circles, it may have derived from English country dancing. corps de ballet The members of a ballet company who do not perform solo. country dance Traditional English dance in which dancers form two facing lines. croisee In ballet, a position with the body at an oblique angle and the working leg crossing the line of the body. danseur noble A male dancer who performs the "princely" roles of the classical ballet, such as the Prince in Swan Lake. degage In ballet, shifting weight from one foot to the other. developpe An unfolding of the leg in the air. ecarte In ballet, a position with one leg extended at an oblique angle while the body is also at an oblique angle. efface In ballet, a position of the body at an oblique angle and partly hidden. entrechat A ballet movement in which the dancer repeatedly crosses his or her legs in the air. epaulement In ballet, the position of the torso from the waist up. fandango A lively Spanish dance in triple time performed with castanets or tambourines. ferme In ballet, a closed position of the feet. five positions In ballet, the basic positions of the feet. First position: feet in a straight line, heels touching. Second position: feet in a straight line, heels apart. Third position: one foot in front of the other, parallel to it, with heel of front foot in hollow instep of back foot. Fourth position: one foot in front of the other, parallel, but apart. Fifth position: One foot in front of the other, parallel, with heel in front foot touching toe of back foot. flamenco A Sevillian gypsy dance, possibly originating in India, also with Moorish and Arabian influences, originally accompanied by songs and clapping and later by the guitar, and characterized by its heelwork (taconeo). fondu In ballet, a lowering of the body by bending the knee. fouette en tournant A spectacular movement in which the dancer propels himself or herself around a supporting leg with rapid circular movements of the other leg while remaining in a fixed spot. fox-trot A social dance of American origin in duple time. glissade In ballet, a gliding step which usually connects two steps. haut, en In ballet, a position of the arms above the head. jete A leap from one leg to the other in which one leg is thrown to the side, front, or back. Grand jete: a large leap forward. jitterbug A lively social dance popular during the 1930s; it originated at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem in 1928, where it was known as the Lindy. kabuki A Japanese dance drama featuring stylized narrative choreographic movements mazurka A Polish national dance in triple time with an accent on the second beat, characterized by proud bearing, clicking of heels, and holubria, a special turning step. minuet A slow and graceful dance, the most popular dance of the eighteenth century, characterized by symmetrical figures and elaborate curtsys and bows. morris dance An English folk dance that appeared in the fifteenth century, in which dancers wore bells on their legs and characters included a fool, a boy on a hobby horse, and a man in blackface. ouvert In ballet, an open position of the feet. par terre Steps performed on the floor. It is the opposite of en l'air. pas de deux A dance for two, usually a woman and a man. In its traditional form, it begins with an entree and adagio, followed by solo variations for each dancer, and a coda. pavane A grave, processional court dance popular in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. penche In ballet, leaning forward. pique Stepping directly onto the point of a foot. pirouette A turn on one leg, with the toe of the other leg touching the knee of the turning leg. plie A bending of the knees in any of the five positions. Demi plie: a half bending of the knees, with heels on the floor. Grand plie: a full bending of the knees. point A position on the tip of the toes. Demi-point: a position on the balls of the feet. polka A Bohemian folk dance in duple time with a hop on the fourth beat. It became a popular ballroom dance in the mid-nineteenth century. port de bras In ballet, the positions of the arms. premier danseur Principal male dancer. promenade In ballet, a slow turn of the body on the whole foot. quadrille A social dance popular in the nineteenth century. It was a square dance in five sections, each in a different time. reel Popular in Britain, Ireland, and Scotland, it is a lively dance for two or more couples; also, the second part of the Virginia reel. The Highland fling is a variant. releve In ballet, a rising with a spring movement to point or demi-point. reverence A ballet bow or curtsy in which one foot is pointed in front and the body leans forward. spotting A fixing of the eyes on one spot as long as possible during turns to avoid dizziness and to keep one's orientation. square dance An American folk dance with an even number of couples forming a square, two lines, or a circle. The dance is comprised of figures announced by a caller. tango A social dance in 2/4 time, which after originating in Spain, developed in Argentina, where it was influenced by black dance style and rhythm. tour en l'air A turn while jumping straight up in the air. variation Any solo performance in a ballet. waltz A social dance in 3/4 time that became widely popular in the nineteenth century. It developed from the Landler, a German-Austrian turning dance. (c) 1993 by The New York Public Library and The Stonesong Press, Inc. |
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