Names

There are multiple approaches to teaching ballet according to traditional methods or schools. All are equally valid, although sometimes it can get confusing when there are different names for the same movement. However there are seven movements of ballet.

   Plier        to bend

 Relever   to rise

     Étendre   to stretch

  Glisser     to glide

 Tourner   to turn

   Sauter     to jump

 Élancer    to dart

At the end of last class we learnt "jeté élancé en tournant" whose name is an excellent description of the movement. "Jeté" means to throw, a jump taking off from one foot and landing on the other. "Élancer" is to dart and "en tournant" is an action that is performed whilst turning. But forget the words and remember the feel of the movement when dancing......darting forwards.

Look here!

List is from Ballet Pedagogy, Rory Foster.