BALLET STUDY GUIDE
Ballet is a codified, classical dance form with a distinct vocabulary of specific exercises, steps, positions, and poses that have been adopted into or merged with other dance forms. The foremost feature of ballet is turnout which is the outward rotation of the legs from the hip joints. The quality of ballet is to defy gravity with large jumps and turns in the air, to create movements and poses that extend the body’s lines, and to move effortlessly to present a quality of supreme control of movement in relation to the music and the role portrayed.
Classical ballet is a very logical art form. The core of classical ballet comprises a vocabulary of exercises, steps, positions, and poses for which the terminology is in French. Principles, rules, and protocols govern how to perform exercises and steps. Rules and protocols distinguish ballet from other dance forms. All of these components make ballet unique for its clarity of expressive movement and pureness which renders it a classical art form. Ballet has had many different meanings throughout its evolution. This dance form began from the court dances performed in various dramatic and musical entertainments produced by Louis XIV of France in the 17th century. Louis XIV was a dancer who signified ballet from a court amusement to an art. He also established the Academy of Dance to train professional dancers which would later be called the Paris Opera Ballet.
During the 18th century, ballet moved from the courts into the theater. In the beginning of this century, ballets focused on mythological characters and themes. During the end of the 18th century, ballets contained more humanistic characters that used both dancing and pantomimes to tell stories. Ballets became an established theatrical dance form by the 19th century. At the end of this century, the classical era of ballet contained entire evenings of story ballets. Classics such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Nutcracker were then created. The 20th century was rich with diverse ballets and choreography that have spanned the world. Choreographers diversified ballet by moving to one-act ballets, abstract ballets, and ballets on contemporary themes.
*Contemporary Ballet is a form of dance which incorporates elements of both classical ballet and modern dance. It takes its technique from classical ballet but it allows for a greater range of movement and it does not adhere to the strict body lines set forth by schools of ballet technique. Many of its concepts come from the ideas and innovations of 20th century modern dance.
Classical Arm Positions:
Preparatory Position (Fifth Position en bas or Low Fifth)- Arms are rounded low in front of the body, with the fingertips in front of the thighs but not touching the body
1st Position- Arms round in front of the midline of the torso at the bottom of the sternum, fingertips almost touching
2nd Position- Arms stretch from shoulder level, sloping downward, and are slightly rounded, immediately in front of the side of the body (Arms extended to side of body)
5th Position en haut (High Fifth of Fifth)-Round both arms high, framing the head, diagonally upward from the hairline
Ballet Feet Positions (Emphasis for all turned out positions should be on external rotation of the femur at the hip joint and not of the tibia at the knee joint):
1st Position-Hips turned out with heels together using your natural turn out from your hips and not the knees
2nd Position-Hips turned out with the heels slightly apart wider than the hips
3rd Position-Hips turned out with the heel of one foot closely placed by the center of the arch of the other foot
4th Position-Begin from 1st position or from 3rd position, with the hips turned out and the feet are apart about one foot length; the body weight should fall evenly over both legs
5th Position-Hips turned out with the heel of one foot closely placed by the top of the toe of the other foot
Principles of Alignment:
Aplomb Line- An imaginary vertical line a teacher uses to assess alignment and vertical centering in a dancer (Achieving proper alignment by stacking your joints starting with the middle of your ears over your shoulders, shoulders over your hips, hips over your knees, knees over your ankles)
Neutral Pelvis and Neutral Spine-Keeping the natural “S” shape of your spine in a neutral position by maintaining a lengthened spine, keeping the ribs “knitted together,” and maintaining a neutral pelvis by lengthening the tailbone towards the floor (Hip bones and pubis bone should be on the same plane and the hips bones should stay level in order for the pelvis to be in a neutral position)
Ballet Terminology:
en bas- Low arms, refers to Fifth position en bas (Low 5th) or Preparatory position of the arms
en croix- In the pattern of a cross; to the front, side, back, and to the side again
Demi-Plie- Half bend in the knees performed in first through fifth positions where heels remain on the floor
Battement Tendu- Exercise where the leg is stretched on the floor to the toes; stretched beating of the leg and foot
Forced Arch- A position of the foot where the heel is lifted off of the floor and the knee (s) are bent (We use this in class when we perform our demi-plie series)
Battement Degage- A beating of the entire leg and foot disengaged or thrown slightly from the floor (Slide the working foot from full foot through a pointed position, extending the foot barely off the floor)
Battement Developpe: An unfolding movement (of the leg) where the working leg moves from full foot to a pointed position through the sur le cou-do-pied position upward along the leg (first to coupe and later to retire); The working foot directs the unfolding of the lower leg to the front, side, or back while the thigh supports and maintains the height of the leg
Grand Battement- Large beating or kicking action of the leg into the air from either standing or lying on the floor (From either first, third, or fifth position, brush working leg and pointed foot into the air to approximately 45 degrees; on the return path, the leg stretches back to pointe tendue and then brushes through the foot, closing in the beginning position)
Rond de Jambe- Rounding of the leg either on the ground or in the air (Rond de Jambe a Terre-From first position, the working foot tendus either to the front or to the back and traces either a half or full circle on the floor en dehors and en dedans)
Releve- Raised to the toes and metatarsals
Glissade- Gliding step where you begin in 3rd or 5th position and travel from 1 foot to the other by brushing one foot to the side in the air and jumping off of the other foot and then land in 3rd or 5th position
Pas de Chat: Step of the cat (Start in fifth position with the left foot in front; demi-plie and lift the right foot to coupe in back and then spring upward to the side while lifting the left foot to coupe in front at the same height as the right foot; the left foot closes quickly into fifth position in front; arms are usually held in fourth position en avant)
Assemble- To assemble or to jump from 1 foot to 2 feet
Saute Jumps: Jumps in the air from first, second, and fifth positions (Echappe Sauté-In class, we began in first position; a jump from both legs into second position demi-plie and then jumping from second position back to first position landing in a demi-plie)
Arabesque- Performed with the working leg straight behind body with arms placed in three different positions (1st arabesque arms are performed having opposite arm of working leg upward on a diagonal and the other arm back on a diagonal out to side)
Port De Bras- Carriage of the arms (Ex: -Moving from low 5th to 1st to 2nd and back to low 5th-First Port de Bras; Moving from low 5th through 1st to high 5th out to 2nd and back down to 1st-Second Port de Bras)
Reverence- Curtsey or bow which is performed at the conclusion of a ballet class as a way to say “thank you” for the class
Turn-Out- Ability to rotate the legs from the hips (Always used in Ballet)