The beautiful art of ballet has its own special language. Almost all ballet moves names come from French. Learning these terms is the first step for every dancer. It is also the key for audiences to understand what they are seeing on stage.
This guide will explain the most important ballet moves names in simple terms. You will learn what they mean, what they look like, and why they are important. Whether you’re starting your first dance class or just love watching ballet, this is your helpful guide to the language of dance.
Foundational Ballet Moves Names at the Barre
Every ballet class begins at the barre. This is where dancers warm up and build strength. The ballet moves names here are the building blocks for everything else.
Plié (plee-AY)
Meaning: “Bent” or “bending” (French). A smooth bend of the knees while keeping the heels on the floor.
Best for: Warming up the legs, ankles, and feet. It is the preparation and landing for almost every jump.
Tendu (tahn-DEW)
Meaning: “Stretched” (French). The foot brushes along the floor until only the toe is touching, stretching the leg.
Best for: Strengthening the feet and creating a beautiful, pointed toe. It teaches how to move the foot properly.
Dégagé (day-ga-ZHAY)
Meaning: “Disengaged” (French). Similar to a tendu, but the foot brushes off the floor to a small height.
Best for: Building speed and teaching the foot to move quickly and precisely.
Rond de Jambe (rawn duh zhahmb)
Meaning: “Circle of the leg” (French). The toe traces a half-circle on the floor, from front to side to back, or the reverse.
Best for: Loosening the hip joints and creating smooth, controlled movements of the leg.
Relevé (ruh-leh-VAY)
Meaning: “Raised” (French). Rising up onto the balls of the feet (demi-pointe).
Best for: Building strong calf muscles and ankle strength, which is crucial for balance and pointe work.
Essential Center Ballet Moves Names
After the barre, dancers practice in the center of the room without support. These ballet moves names are for balance, coordination, and expression.
The Five Positions of the Feet
This is not a single move but the alphabet of ballet. Every step begins and ends in one of these five positions of the feet (First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth).
Port de Bras (por duh brah)
Meaning: “Carriage of the arms” (French). How the arms move gracefully from one position to another.
Best for: Adding beauty, emotion, and flow to the dance. It makes the dancer look like they are floating.
Arabesque (ah-ra-BESK)
Meaning: One of the most famous ballet poses. The dancer stands on one leg with the other leg extended straight behind them.
Best for: Showing off a dancer’s balance, line, and grace. There are several different types of arabesque.
Ballet Moves Names for Turning
Turns are thrilling to watch and do. These ballet moves names describe the different ways dancers spin.
Pirouette (peer-oo-WET)
Meaning: “Whirl” or “spin” (French). A complete turn of the body on one foot.
Best for: Demonstrating perfect balance, a strong core, and “spotting” (fixing the eyes on one point to avoid dizziness).
Chaînés (sheh-NAY)
Meaning: “Chains” or “links” (French). A series of quick, small turns where the feet stay close together in first position.
Best for: Moving quickly across the stage in a straight line or circle. They look like a sparkling chain of turns.
Piqué Turn (pee-KAY turn)
Meaning: “Pricked” (French). The dancer steps directly onto a straight leg en pointe or demi-pointe and completes a turn.
Best for: Creating sharp, crisp, and direct turns that look very clean and precise.
Ballet Moves Names for Jumping
Jumps, or grands, show a dancer’s power, lightness, and airtime. Here are the key ballet moves names for jumping.
Sauté (soh-TAY)
Meaning: “Jumped” (French). A simple two-footed jump, like a hop, landing in the same position.
Best for: Learning the basic technique of pushing off the floor and landing softly in a plié.
Changement (shahnzh-MAHN)
Meaning: “Changed” (French). A jump starting in fifth position, where the feet quickly switch places in the air before landing.
Best for: Practicing fast footwork and control while in the air.
Assemblé (ah-sahm-BLAY)
Meaning: “Assembled” (French). A jump where one foot brushes out to the side, and both feet come together in the air to land in fifth position.
Best for: A basic traveling jump that teaches the legs to work together.
Grand Jeté (grahn zhuh-TAY)
Meaning: “Big throw” (French). The iconic ballet leap. The dancer takes a running step and throws one leg forward into a split position in the air.
Best for: Creating the magical illusion of flight. It is one of ballet’s most breathtaking moves.
Ballet Moves Names for Connecting Steps
These steps are the “glue” that connects bigger jumps and turns. Knowing these ballet moves names helps you see how a dance flows together.
Glissade (glee-SAHD)
Meaning: “Glided” (French). A gliding step that moves sideways, usually to prepare for a bigger jump.
Best for: A small, quick linking step that allows dancers to gain momentum or change direction.
Pas de Bourrée (pah duh boo-RAY)
Meaning: A quick three-step sequence (back, side, front, or other variations) performed on the balls of the feet.
Best for: Creating fast, intricate, and shuffling footwork. It makes dancers look like they are floating.
Ballet Moves Names for Pointe Work
Pointe work is when female dancers dance on the tips of their toes in special shoes. These ballet moves names are often done en pointe.
Échappé (ay-sha-PAY)
Meaning: “Escaped” or “slipped away” (French). Starting in fifth position, the dancer jumps to land with both feet apart in second or fourth position.
Best for: Building strength in the feet and ankles for pointe work. It is a fundamental pointe exercise.
Sur le Cou-de-Pied (sewr luh koo-duh-PYAY)
Meaning: “On the ‘neck’ of the foot” (French). A position where one foot is wrapped around the ankle of the standing leg.
Best for: A common position used in many pointe steps, like relevés and pirouettes, for stability and speed.
Expressive Ballet Moves Names
Some ballet moves names are less about technique and more about acting and telling a story.
Attitude (ah-tee-TEWD)
Meaning: A pose where the working leg is lifted to the front, side, or back with the knee beautifully bent.
Best for: Creating a dramatic and expressive look. It is named after a statue of the god Mercury.
Allongé (ah-lon-ZHAY)
Meaning: “Stretched out” or “elongated” (French). An extended line of the arm and body, often from an arabesque.
Best for: Showing longing, reaching, or dramatic emphasis in a story ballet.
Fast and Lively Ballet Moves Names
These ballet moves names are for quick, bright, and cheerful dances. They often appear in character pieces or variations.
Brisé (bree-ZAY)
Meaning: “Broken” (French). A small, beating jump where the legs cross like a broken piece of glass.
Best for: Adding quick, sharp, and sparkling accents to a dance. It is a small, traveling jump.
Pas de Chat (pah duh SHAH)
Meaning: “Step of the cat” (French). A jump where the knees are lifted high one after the other, like a cat leaping.
Best for: A light, playful, and bouncy jump that looks joyful and effortless.
Large and Traveling Ballet Moves Names
These ballet moves names cover a lot of stage space. They are big, bold, and often used for entrances or dramatic moments.
Tour Jeté (toor zhuh-TAY)
Meaning: “Thrown turn” (French). A large, turning leap where the dancer starts with the back to the audience, turns in the air, and lands in an arabesque.
Best for: A powerful, masculine jump that shows off great height and control. It is also called a grand jeté en tournant.
Failli (fah-YEE)
Meaning: “Giving way” or “sinking” (French). A preparatory step where the dancer transfers weight quickly, often seeming to “fall” onto one foot before a jump.
Best for: Creating a sense of momentum and drama before a big leap like a grand jeté.
Mime and Story Ballet Moves Names
In classical story ballets like Swan Lake or Giselle, dancers use traditional mime gestures. These are a special set of ballet moves names for the hands and face.
“I Love You” / “We Are in Love”
Gesture: The dancer points to their eye, then crosses both hands over the heart, then points to the person they are addressing.
Best for: Clearly telling the story of love between characters without using words.
“Dance With Me” / “Will You Marry Me?”
Gesture: The dancer circles their hands around each other in front of their body, then gestures with an open palm toward the other person.
Best for: An invitation, often used by princes to ask for a dance or to propose marriage in fairy-tale ballets.
Conclusion:
Learning these ballet moves names is like getting a key to a secret world. It helps new dancers follow instructions and grow. It helps audiences see the incredible skill behind the beauty. From the simple plié at the barre to the soaring grand jeté across the stage, every term has a purpose. Next time you watch a ballet, see how many of these ballet moves names you can recognize. It will make your experience even more magical.
(FAQ)
1. What is the first ballet move a beginner learns?
The first ballet move a beginner learns is the plié. It is the most basic movement for warming up and is part of almost every other step.
2. What is the most famous ballet turn?
The most famous ballet turn is the pirouette. It is a classic, complete spin on one foot that requires excellent balance.
3. Why are all the ballet moves names in French?
Ballet was officially developed and codified in the French royal courts in the 17th century, so the original French terminology for ballet moves names is still used worldwide today.
4. What is the big leap in ballet called?
The big, split leap in ballet is called the grand jeté. It is one of the most recognizable and breathtaking ballet moves names.
5. What are the five basic positions called in ballet?
They are simply called First Position, Second Position, Third Position, Fourth Position, and Fifth Position. They are the essential foundation for all other ballet moves names.
Gerald Kersh was a British author known for vivid storytelling, noir style, and the classic Night and the City, blending realism with suspense and drama..
