| A | B |
|---|
| Adagio | At ease or leisure. A series of exercises following the center practice. |
| Arabesque | One of the basic positions in ballet in which the body is supported on one leg, with the other leg extended behind. |
| Assemblé | Assembled or joined together. A step in which the working leg slides along the ground before being swept into the air. As the foot goes into the air the dancer pushes off the floor with the supporting leg |
| Attitude | A position on one leg while the other is lifted in the back, the knee bent at an angle of 90 degrees and well turned out so that the knee is higher than the foot. |
| Balancé | Rocking step |
| Battement | Beating. An exercise in which the working leg is raised from the hip into the air and brought down again. (Grand battement: Lift one leg up forcefully in the air, then control the leg down while the torso remains straight. |
| Chaînés | Chains, links. S series of rapid turns on the balls of the feet. |
| Changement | A jump in which the feet change from front to back, or vice-versa. |
| Chassé | Chased. A step in which one foot literally chases the other foot out of its position. |
| Coupé | Bend the working leg with a pointed foot and lift the leg until the foot meets the front of the supporting ankle. |
| Contract | Movement where the hips tilt upward, the tailbone tucks under and the chest and shoulders remain still. |
| Dégagé | Disengaged. The pointing of the foot in an open position with a fully arched instep. |
| Demi | Half |
| Développé | Time developed, developing movement. Movement in which the working leg is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg and slowly extended to an open position and held there with perfect control. |
| Échappé | Escaping movement. The opening of both feet from a closed to an open position. |
| En tournant | Turning |
| Glissade | Glide. A traveling step executed by gliding the working foot from the supporting leg and the other foot closing to it. |
| Jeté | A jump from one foot to the other in which the working leg is brushed into the air. |
| Pas de bourrée | Back-side-front |
| Pas de deux | Dance for two |
| Passé | Bend the working leg with a pointed foot and lift the leg until the arch of the foot meets the side of the knee on the supporting leg, |
| Pirouette | Whirl or spin. A complete turn of the body on one foot. |
| Plié | Bent, bending. A bending of the knee or knees. Demi/grand |
| Port de bras | Carriage of the arms |
| Relevé | Raised. A raising of the body on the balls of the feet. |
| Rond de jambe | Round of the leg, circular movement of the leg on the floor or in the air. |
| Sickling | The turning of the foot in from the ankle, thereby breaking the straight line of the leg. |
| Supporting leg | A term used by dancers and teachers for the leg that supports the body so that the working leg is free to execute a given movement. |
| Tendu | Stretched. Ex: Battement tendu. |
| Turn in | The ability of the dancer to keep ankles, knees and hip in line, facing forward. |
| Turn out | The ability of the dancer to turn his or her feet and legs out from the hip joints to a 90-degree position. |
| Working leg | A term used by dancers and teachers to denote the leg that is executing a given movement while the weight of the body is on the supporting leg. |
