
|
Ballon [ba-LAWN] Bounce. Ballon is the light,
elastic quality in jumping in
which the dancer bounds up from
the floor, pauses a moment in
the air and descends lightly
and softly, only to rebound in
the air like the smooth
bouncing of a
ball.
![]() Élévation [ay-lay-va-SYAWN] Élévation is the
ability of a dancer to attain
height in dancing. It is a term
used to describe the height
attained in springing steps
such as entrechats,
grands jetés
and so on,
combined with ballon so that
the dancer jumps with a
graceful elasticity like the
bouncing movement of a rubber
ball which touches the ground a
moment and then rebounds into
the air. The elevation is
reckoned by the distance
between the pointed toes of the
dancer in the air and the
ground. In alighting after a
pas d'élévation
the tips of the toes should
reach the ground first, quickly
followed by the sole and then
the heel. All steps of'
elevation begin and end with a
demi-plié.
![]() Épaulement [ay-pohl-MAHN]] Shouldering. The placing of
the shoulders. A term used to
indicate a movement of the
torso from the waist upward,
bringing one shoulder forward
and the other back with the
head turned or inclined over
the forward shoulder. The two
fundamental positions of
épaulement are
croisé and
effacé. When
épaulement is used the
position of the head depends
upon the position of the
shoulders and the shoulder
position depends upon the
position of the legs.
Épaulement gives the
finishing artistic touch to
every movement and is a
characteristic feature of the
modern classical style
compared to the old French
style. which has little
épaulement.
![]() Extension [eks-tahn-SYAWN] Term used to describe the
ability of a dancer to raise
and hold her extended leg
en l'air. A dancer is said to
have
a good extension if, when doing
a
développé
à la seconde, she is
able to hold and sustain the
raised leg above shoulder
level.
![]() Ligne [LEEN-yuh] Line. The outline presented by
a dancer while executing steps
and poses. A dancer is said to
have a good or bad sense of
line according to the
arrangement of head, body,
legs and arms in a pose or
movement. A good line is
absolutely indispensable to
the classlcal
dancer.
![]() Turn-out This is the ability of the
dancer to turn his or her feet
and legs out from the hip
joints to a 90-degree
position. This turn-out, or
en-dehors, is one of the
essential principles of the
classical dance, giving the
dancer freedom of movement in
every
direction.
![]() |
