Common Ballet Terms
"Sawn Lake", Performed by Aree School of Dance Arts, 2009, Thai Cultural Center
Ballet Terms Based on RAD Terminology
Position of the Feet
1st position of the feet: A closed position where the dancer stands with the feet together, so that the heels are touching and the legs turned out.
2nd position of the feet: An open position where the dancer stands with the feet approximately shoulder width apart.
3rd position of the feet: A closed position where the dancer stands with the feet together with one foot in front of the other, so that the heel of the front foot is placed at the middle of the back foot.
Position of the Arms
1st position of the arms: A basic position in which both arms curve to form an oval in front of the body so that the little fingers are slightly above the level of the waist.
2nd position of the arms: A basic position in which the arms are held to the side and are just in front of the body. They are slightly curved and slope gently downward from the shoulder to the tips of the fingers.
Demi-seconde (half second position): A basic position in which the arms are slightly curved halfway between bras bas and 2nd position with the palms facing each other.
Bras bas (arms low): A basic low position in which both arms curve down to form an oval in front of, and slightly away from the body.
Directions
En avant: Phrase denoting movement travelling forward.
En arrière: Phrase denoting movement travelling backward.
Other
Demi-plié (half-bending action): A half-bending action of the knees over the toes, with the heels remaining firmly on the floor.
Grand plié (big bending action): A full bending of the knees over the toes. The bending action causes the heels to be released from the floor. During the straightening of the legs, the heels are lowered to the floor as soon as possible, making the movement continuous. In 2nd position however, because there is a wider base, the heels remain on the floor.
Battement tendu (beating outstretched): The opening and closing of a stretched working leg, the foot remains in contact with the floor.
Battement glissé: An opening and closing of the fully stretched working leg with a quick gliding action of the foot which causes the toes to be released just off the floor.
Sauté (jumped, to jump): A basic jump from two feet to two feet, taken in 1st, 2nd or 4th position. Jumps always begin and end with a demi-plié, with the knees and feet fully stretched at the height of the jump.
Balancé: A lyrical terre à terre movement set on a waltz rhythm where the accent is on the first step. Comprises three transferences of weight, often in series from side to side or forward and backwards.
Pas de bourrée: Terre à terre steps performed in a continuous movement in any direction. Demanding quick, precise foot work. Can vary with the use of either the front or back foot on the initial extension.
Relevé: 1-A leg action which begins en demi-plié or en fondu, arrives end demi-pointes or en pointes with a strong and speedy stretch of the legs, and finishes again en demi-plié or en fondu. 2-Term referring to a step performed with a relevé action as opposed to for example, a jump.
Posé: One of the basic elements of centre practice. A movement involving a transfer of weight onto the whole foot, demi-pointe, or pointe.
Glissade: A connecting step travelling in any direction and performed Terre à terre. The basic glissade is travelled sideways.
Pas de chat: A light, springing step moving sideways from 5th to 5th, jumping off one foot and landing on the other foot before closing en demi-plié.
Grand jeté en avant: A large leap travelling forward from one foot to the other. Taken to various arabesque lines.
Theatre Glossary
Interior of the 1928 B. F. Keith Memorial Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts.
Theatre: A place which houses an auditorium and a stage.
Lobby: The room or space between front entrance up to the point where tickets are surrendered.
Foyer: The space or room behind auditorium, between lobby and the seats. The foyer does not have seats.
Loges: A balcony of less than seven rows of seats. In an exceptionally large balcony, the loges would be the extreme front row of seats provided there are less than seven and in front of a cross-aisle.
Auditorium/House: The large room where the audience is seated. Stage personnel refer to this as the House.
Beam: Location of lighting in the auditorium ceiling for illuminating the fore-stage and front part of the stage proper. Sometimes referred to as the Beam position.
Proscenium Wall: Structural wall separating the auditorium from the stage.
Proscenium Arch: Opening through which audience views the performance. Also known as Proscenium Opening. When the word proscenium is used alone, it means the Proscenium Arch.
Proscenium Line: Imaginary line where place of the proscenium intersects the stage floor. For accuracy, this is aligned with the stage side of the proscenium columns.
Stage: The area where actors perform but includes the side and rear areas for handling equipment.
Stage Glossary
New York State Theater by David Shankbone
Apron: The usually curved area of the stage closest to the audience.
Backstage/Offstage: Usually the entire stage area not visible to the audience.
Backdrop: The drop farthest upstage in most settings. Also a large curtain, sometimes with a picture or design.
Curtain Line: The imaginary line across the stage floor which follows the line of the front curtain.
Grand Drape/Main Rag: The front, often decorative, curtain of a stage.
Cyclorama (usually just "cyc") : A large, usually white, curtain that is lit to create setting and masks the back of the stage behind the set.
Wings: The areas to the left and right of the stage out of view to the audience. A part of the backstage area.
Legs: Narrow curtains in the wings to mask the backstage areas.
Trap: An opening in the stage floor for actors to pass through to make entrances and exits.
Clear the Stage: A direction given to all dancers to leave the stage area prior to the beginning of a play.
Places: The direction for all dancers to go to their proper position and be ready for the beginning of a play or scene.
Run Through: An uninterrupted rehearsal of a scene, act, or the entire choreography. Typically a run-through does not contain many of the technical aspects of a performance, and is primarily used to assist performers in learning dialogue and to solidify aspects of blocking.
Bows/Curtain Call: The carefully choreographed appearance of actors on stage after the performance to acknowledge the applause of the audience.
Heads Up!: A term of warning used to call attention to overhead danger.
Stage Manager: Person responsible for the physical set up, actors, and technical cues of a production as it is performed.
Cue: The command given to technical departments to carry out a particular operation. E.g. Fly Cue or Sound Cue. Normally given by stage management, but may be taken directly from the action (i.e. a Visual Cue).
Stand-By: A warning given to dancers and technical staff by stage management that a cue is imminent.
Blocking: precise movement and positioning of dancers on the stage.
Technical Rehearsal: Usually the first time the show is rehearsed in the venue, with lighting, scenery and sound. Costumes are sometimes used where they may cause technical problems (eg Quick changes). Often a very lengthy process. Often abbreviated to the Tech.
Dress Rehearsal: A rehearsal or series of rehearsals in which the ensemble dresses as they will dress at the performance for the audience. The entire performance will be run from beginning to end, exactly as the real performances will be, including pauses for intermissions.
Première: (from the French première, meaning "first") is the very first performance.
Stage Directions
Stage Directions
Backstage: The area of the stage that is not seen by the audience.
Upstage: The area of the stage that is the furthest from the audience.
Downstage: The area of the stage that is the closest to the audience.
Stage Right: The right side of the stage from the dancer's point of view (facing the audience).
Stage Left: The left side of the stage from the dancer's point of view (facing the audience).
Center: Center of the stage.
Full Front: Facing the audience.
Full Back: Facing away from the audience.
Cross: Movement from one area of the stage to another.
Technical Elements
Technical Elements: Props
"Les Saltimbanques", Performed by Bangkok City Ballet,
Choreographed by Patrice Leroy
Props (Properties): Small hand held items used by dancers.
Decor: Furnishings, properties, draperies, and decorations of setting.
Practical: Scenery that is useable. A door, or window that will open, etc.
Lighting Glossary
Lighting Glossary
Backlight: Light coming from upstage, behind scenery or actors, to sculpt and separate them from the background.
Blackout: Complete absence of stage lighting. Blue working lights backstage should remain on and are not usually under the control of the board, except during a Dead Blackout (DBO), when there is no onstage light. Exit signs and other emergency lighting must remain on at all times.
Color Filter: A sheet of plastic usually composed of a colored resin sandwiched between two clear pieces. The colored filter absorbs all the colors of light except the color of the filter itself.
Cross Fade: Bringing another lighting state up to completely replace the current lighting state. Also applies to sound effects / music.
Downlight: A light from directly above the acting area.
Follow Spot: Usually, a powerful instrument usually fitted with its own dimmer, iris, color magazine and shutters mounted in or above the auditorium, used with an operator so that the light beam can be moved around the stage to follow an actor.
Gobo: A thin metal plate etched to produce a design which can then be projected by a profile spotlight (E.g. Foliage, Windows).
House Lights: The auditorium lighting which is commonly faded out when the performance starts.
Light Curtain: A lighting effect which, when an area is diffused with smoke, produces a wall of light.
Projection:
1) Slides are used to project still archive images or textures.
2) Lighting effects: Moving cloud / rain / fire effects can be achieved using a powerful lantern known as an effects projector with a motorized glass disc painted with the required effect.
3) Gobos: See Gobo.
5) Video: Video projection is now being used to bring television pictures to the large screen. Images can be front projected or back projected depending on the amount of space and the effect required. For example, if dancers are required to walk in front of the screen and not have the image appearing on them, back projection is the only answer.
Smoke Machine: Electrically powered unit which produces clouds of white non-toxic fog (available in different flavors/smells) by the vaporization of mineral oil. Specially designed for theatre & film use.
Dry Ice: Frozen solid carbon dioxide (CO2) which produces clouds of steam-loaded CO2 gas forming a low-lying mist or fog when dropped into boiling water.
Snap: A lighting or sound cue with no fade time - the cue happens instantly.
Spotlight: General term for any lantern with a lens system.
Strobe: Device giving a fast series of very short intense light flashes which can have the effect of making action appear intermittent. Because strobe lighting can trigger an epileptic attack in sufferers, the use of a strobe must be communicated to the audience before the performance begins.
