Ballet Terms and Definitions: The Ultimate Guide to Ballet for Beginners

 You don’t need a lifetime of theoretical training to know a few basic terms in ballet:
plié, tendu, pas de deux - these are all examples of terms you’ve most likely heard before -
BUT do you know how fundamentally important ballet terminology is for dance in general? 

 
Whether you're a classical dancer, jazz dancer, heels expert or maybe hip hop is more your speed, ballet actually translates (or can be translated) to virtually any style of dancing. 

Let’s put that statement to the test:
 

• At its most simple definition, to “plié” means “to bend at the knees."
  If you can think of a form of dancing in which you literally never bend your knees, well then, we want to know! Because, unless it’s a breakout solo featuring the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz,” we can’t seem to think of any style that’s sans plié!
  
  

• Second, let’s take a look at the ballet term, “adagio” or “to move slowly.” 
  Okay so there’s a lot of styles that are NOT performed slowly and “at ease”…but if you consider adagio as a part of dynamic movement, anytime you slow down your dancing to create more dynamic or musicality, there’s a big chance you’re employing basic principles of adagio.
  
  
  

• And third, before we get into the nitty gritty, “Tombé” or, “to fall.”
  Any time you shift your weight from one foot to the other and sort of “fall” onto it, you’re actually doing a tombé. These steps are an easy way in which ballet terminology can be applied to dance in any style. In ballet, tombé is most often used as the first step of a preparation before a turn or a jump, but that’s not its only purpose. When you think about it, the act of walking is just one leg catching a fall, then the next, and so on. We all tombé all day long in the simple act of just taking a step - let alone while dancing.

Ballet Positions

It’s pretty safe to say that ballet positions are probably the #1 thing that all dance instructors will teach to any beginner, regardless of age or skill level. 

For the most part, ballet dancers stand with their legs in “turnout” so activating the outward rotation of your legs from the hip socket is key to getting these positions down pat. 

 
If you’re just starting out with ballet terminology, “Ballet for Beginners” with Léonore Baulac is the perfect place to begin (and honestly, who better to teach ballet positions than the Paris Opera’s top Star Dancer?! Needless to say, for ballet basics, we’ve got you covered.) 

 
Alright, so let’s run through the 6 basic positions as relevant to every ballet dancer or anyone looking to learn a bit more about ballet:

• 1st Position
   Heels together, the toes face outwards.
  
   
• 2nd Position
  The feet are placed apart and to the sides for approximately the length of one foot.
   
• 3rd Position
  One foot in front of the other with the heel of the front foot connecting to the arch of the back foot. 
• 4th Position
  One foot in front of the other with the distance of one foot in between.
  
   
• 5th Position
  The heels align with the toes of the opposite foot. The feet are touching.
  
   
• 6th Position
  The ankles and the knees touch each other. The legs are in parallel.
  

Ballet Terms & Definitions

Ballet terminology is a special kind of vocabulary, to say the least. And, for an art form born in Italy, it’s interesting that the ballet terms we use worldwide today are actually all in French. 
 

You can think of ballet terms like you do math and numbers. You don’t need to speak another language to understand or even solve a math problem - 2 plus 2 will always equal 4. Numbers are universal and, while it definitely helps to know at least a bit of French, you don’t need to be French-speaking to be able to talk shop in the ballet studio. Ballet terminology can be learned and we’re here to help.

Here’s a list of 10 terms to know:

1. Plié [plee-AY] (bent)
   Bending of the knee or knees. There are two types of plié: grand plié (full bending of the knees) and demi-plié  (half-bending of the knees). It can be performed in all positions of the feet.
   
   
2. Tendu [tahn-DEW] (stretched)
   Gliding of the foot through the floor until it reaches full extension, without lifting the toes off of the floor, then returning to a closed position. Performed from 1st or 5th position, to the front, side and back.
   
   
3. Arabesque [air-uh-BESK]
   A position of the body in which a straight leg is extended to the back either on the floor (à terre) or in the air (en l'air). While in arabesque, the dancer is standing on one leg. The standing leg can be straight or bent. The arms can be placed in different positions. The arabesque is an iconic ballet pose.
   
   
4. Relevé [re-luh-vay] (raised)
   describes the action when a dancer rises up and is seemingly standing “on their toes."
   Relevé can be done on demi-pointe (the dancer stands on the balls of their feet with the toes in flexion) or fully en pointe (in pointe shoes).
   
   
5. Adagio [a-dahj-e-o] (slowly, at ease)
   Refers to slow movement performed with grace and fluidity. An adagio combination or lesson concentrates on slow movement to improve controlled leg movement and extension.
   
   
6. Pas de Bourrée [pah duh boo-RAY] (beating steps)
   In pas de bourrée, the legs come together for a moment before opening again. It is a beginner step that is still done at every skill level of ballet technique and on the stage.
   
   
7. Penché [pahn-SHAY] (leaning, inclining)
   Bending forward over one leg with the back leg extended in arabesque. The dancer maintains the arabesque position for the entire duration of the penché.
   
   
8. Petit Allégro [puh-tee a-lay-GROH] (small, brisk or lively)
   In ballet, allégro is a term applied to bright, fast or brisk steps and movement.  All steps where the dancer jumps are considered allégro. Petit allégro consists of small jumps performed quickly and close to the floor.
   
   
9. Grand allegro [Grahnd a-lay-GROH] (large, brisk or lively)
   Similar to petit allégro, grand allégro is the term applied to the portion of a class or variation where a dancer performs large jumps. Grand allégro is typically slower in tempo from petit allégro, allowing the dancer to soar through the air with greater height.
   
   
10. Reverence [Reh-vah-rahnss] (curtsy or bow)
    The elaborate curtsy or bow performed by a dancer after a performance to acknowledge the applause of the audience. Students can also perform a reverence at the end of a ballet class to show respect to their instructor (and, if present, their piano accompanist).

If you’re like us and love to geek out on ballet, check out this detailed collection of basic ballet terms for more!

Port de Bras

Port de bras simply means “the carriage of the arms.”

Although it might look like effortless moves when a ballet dancer holds their arms in a certain position, we can personally guarantee there’s a world of strength and training behind each graceful pose. 

Now, that’s not to say that port de bras is necessarily hard to do or even hard to learn, just that, like every part of dancing, there is always room for improvement - even for the pros. 
  

(1st Position)

(2nd Position)

(3rd Position)

Just like the positions of the feet, there is a set vocabulary of poses through which the arms move in a ballet class or ballet lesson. And the best part is, it just makes sense. 

There’s 1st position, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and also, arabesque, to name a few. Every position of the arms in a ballet dancer’s port de bras coincides with the position of the body so that it completes one nice picture.

If you’re in the mood to get moving, here’s an easy port de bras exercise with Léonore Baulac to get you started.

Today, the possibilities of blending dance styles are endless. With ballet (and all its terminology) as your foundation, you can connect the dots between even the most opposite of steps or styles.

 
As in any language, the trick to unlocking your dance vocabulary is finding the root of the term at its most simple and fundamental level. 

We hope this quick review of ballet positions and definitions can help you to find your next step.

For more ways to explore your movement possibilities, check out our full library for training tips, inspiration and a variety of online dance classes with the greatest dance artists in the world. 

RESOURCES:
(1)  BalletHub. (n.d.). Find, talk, share and Learn Ballet & Dance. BalletHub. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://ballethub.com/
(2)  Ballet dictionary: American Ballet Theatre (ABT). American Ballet Theatre. (2018, June 7). Retrieved July 20, 2022, from        https://www.abt.org/explore/learn/balletdictionary/gclid=Cj0KCQjwz96WBhC8ARIsAATR2533EBGJHcVpzFHd5iO6Ju3UiujiluUVYRPwNAW3Q7OR96CGd5YKe3saAnC8EALw_wcB
(3)  Ballet terms. Grand Rapids Ballet. (2021, January 15). Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://grballet.com/about/ballet-terms/