DancingTips

These are for more advanced and experienced dancers. 

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• Assemblé-[a-sahn-BLAY]; Assembled or joined together. A step in which the working foot slides well 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, extending the toes. Both legs come to the ground simultaneously in the fifth position.

 

• Brisé- [bree-ZAY]; Broken, breaking. A small beating step in which the movement is broken. The working leg brushes from the fifth position to the second position so that the point of the foot is a few inches off the ground, and beats in front of or behind the other leg, which has come to meet it; then both feet return to the ground simultaneously in demi-plié in the fifth position.

 

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• Cabriole-[ka-bree-AWL]; Caper. An allegro step in which the extended legs are beaten in the air. Cabrioles are divided into two categories: petite, which are executed at 45 degrees, and grande, which are executed at 90 degrees. 

 

• Coupé jeté en tournant- [koo-PAY zhuh-TAY ahn toor-NAHN]; A compound step consisting of a coupé dessous making a three-quarter turn and a grand jeté en avant to complete the turn. The step is usually done in a series either en manège or en diagonale. See Tour de reins.

 

• Entrechat-[ahn-truh-SHAH]; Interweaving or braiding. A step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the legs before and behind each other. 

 

• Manèges-[ma-NEZH]; Circular. A term applied to steps or enchaînements executed in a circle.

 

• Pas de chat-[pah duh shah]; Cat’s-step. The step owes its name to the likeness of the movement to a cat’s leap.