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01322 441977
Email Address
office@theatrestreet.com
Artistic Director & Principal
Claire Pourret
Executive Director
Laurence Mark Wythe
Patron
Hilary A. Williams
Supervisor
Anne Marie Caddell
Tutors
Stephanie O'Rourke
Gemma Cottey
Hayley Love
Rosy Thompson
Gina Long
Lucyelle Cliffe
Rachael Pitcairn
Nancy Wei George
Barnaby Thompson
Rachel Grundy
Student Assistant Tutors
Rebecca Caddell
Ria Barrett
Reception
Penny Guyatt
Anne Marie Caddell
CLASSICAL BALLET THEORY WORDS
BELOW ARE ALL THE BALLET THEORY WORDS FOR OUR BALLET STUDENTS COVERING PRIMARY TO GRADE 5. THIS IS FOR STUDENTS STUDYING PRIMARY GRADE AND UP. PLEASE REMEMBER THEY NEED TO KNOW ALL THE WORDS FROM THEIR GRADE PLUS ALL THE PREVIOUS GRADES. ON THE LEFT IS THE WORD SPELT IN FRENCH, IN THE MIDDLE THE WORD IS SPELT TO HELP CHILDREN KNOW THE CORRECT PRONOUNCIATION AND FINALLY ON THE RIGHT THE MEANING OF EACH WORD.
PRIMARY
DEMI Demee Half or halfway
PLIE Plee-ay A bending of the knee
PORT DE BRAS Pour d bra Graceful movement of the arms
SAUTE Sowtay To jump from 2 feet to 2 feet
INTRODUCTION TO GRADE 1
BRAS BAS Bra bar Low position of both arms to form an oval
BATTEMENT Batmon A beating action of the working leg
TENDU Ton jew To stretch - an outstretched position or action
GRAND Grond Large or Big
DEVANT De -von In front
DERRIERE De - ree- air Behind or at the back
PETIT Pe - teet Small
JETE Jetay To throw
DEGAGE De-ga-jay To diengage or move apart
GRADE 1
DEMI BRAS Demee bra Halfway arms. Halfway between bras bas and 1st position
EN CROIX On quar In the shape of a cross
ADAGE A darge Slow graceful co-ordinated movements
GLISSADE Glee sard Gliding or sliding movement along the floor
CHANGEMENT Shonge a mon To change. A changing of feet whilst in the air
POSE Pose ay To step - poised
TEMPS LEVE Tom levay A lifted movement - with a hop
EN FACE On fass Facing the front (downstage)
GRADE 2
ENCHAINMENT On shain mont Steps linked together to form a short sequence
ASSEMBLE Assomblay To assemble, to join feet together
SOUTENU Suitanoo To sustain or hold
FONDU Fonjew To melt - a smooth bending movement of the supporting leg
ECHAPPE E shapay To escape - a movement of legs from a closed to an open position
RELEVE Re lavay A strong rise or snatch on demi point leeping toes in contact with floor
CROISE Quozay Crossed body alignment, front foot is nearest to audience
OUVERT Ooo vert Open (Body alignment)
ARABESQUE Arabesk A balanced pose on one leg with the other leg extended behind (a'terre or en l'air) in ouvert
A'TERRE Ar tare The working foot remains on the ground
EN L'AIR On Lair In the air. The working foot is off the ground.
PAS DE CHAT Par di shar Step of the cat
GRADE 3
GLISSE Glee say A glide or slide
RONDS DE JAMBE Ron der jorm A circling or rounding action of the working leg i.e an oval
EN DEHORS On day or Outward action of the working leg
EN DEDANS On da don Inward action of the working leg
RETIRE Ri tearay A drawing up action of the working foot
ATTITUDE Attitude A pose - a contained position based on curves
CHASSE Sha say To chase - a linking movement with a sliding action
EN AVANT On avon To the front-movements travelling forward
EN ARRIERE On aree air To the back-movements travelling backwards
BALANCE Balonsay To rock. A balanced step set to waltz time with accent on first step
DE COTE Di coatay To travel sideways
SOUBRESAUT Sue bri sew A spring in the air in 3rd or 5th without changing feet on landing
PAS DE BOURREE Par di bouray A running step. Step of the bourree, an old French dance
SUR PLACE Sir plass An action performed without travelling
GRADE 4
FRAPPE Frapay To strike
SUR LE COU DE PIED Sir la coo de pi ed On the neck of foot. Phrase used to describe placement of
the working foot on the supporting leg
DEVELOPPE Dev la pay A sustained unfolding action of the working leg
FOUETTE Fwetay To whip
EPAULEMENT E pool a mon A use of the shoulders in relation to the body
A DEUX BRAS A do bra (Two) with both arms
TEMP LIE Tom lee ay Time - linked - a linking movement incorporating transference of weight
PIROUETTE Pi roo ette A whirl - spinning action performed on one leg
GRADE 5
SISSONNE See sorn Scissor action - a jump from two feet to one foot
FERME Fur may To close - an action which ends with the feet together in closed position
BATTU Bat too To beat - a beating action of the legs
ENTRECHAT On tra shar To interweave or braid - a jump in which the feet cross and the legs
beat in the air
QUATRE Quot tra Four - four interweaving action, two with each leg