Assignment One

Definitions and Execution

1. Plié: a bending of the knees
2. Demi Plié: a half bending of the knees; bend knees until the heel can no longer stay on the ground
3. Grand Plié: a full bending of the knees; bend knees until the thighs are horizontal and the heels rise off the ground at the half point
4. To rise from a plié press heels into the ground
5. Battement Tendu: battement stretched; the working foot slides forward without lifting the toe from the ground, both knees must be kept straight, when the foot reaches the pointe position it returns.
6. Battement Degagé: disengaged battement; like the battement tendu but done at twice the speed and the working foot rises about four inches from the floor with a well-pointed toe then slides back into position.
7. Rond de Jambe Á Terre: circular movement of the leg on the ground
8. Rond de Jambe Á Terre en dehors: the complete half circle traced by the outward sweep of the foot on the ground;in first position slide the R foot forward, gradually raising the heel, to the fourth position front, point tendu. With an outward sweep carry the foot along the ground through the second position, pointe tendu to the fourth position back pointe tendu. The foot is then brought forward to the first position gradually lowering the heel
9. Rond de Jambe Á Terre en dedans: the complete half circle traced by the inward sweep of the foot on the ground; in first position slide the R foot backward, gradually raising the heel, to the fourth position back, pointe tendu. With an inward sweep carry the foot along the ground through the second position, pointe tendu to the fourth position front pointe tendu. The foot is then brought backward to the first position gradually lowering the heel.
10. Fondu: sinking down; the lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting leg
11. Grand Battement: a large battement; and exercise in which the working leg is raised from the hip into the air  and brought down again, the accent being on the downward movement. Both knees are straight.

Facings

1. Croisé: crossed, at an angle; the crossing of the legs with the body placed at an oblique angle to the audience
2. Effacé: shaded; one of the directions of épaulement, in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view.
3. Écarté derriére: écarté back; the dancer faces one corner of the room with the leg that is farther from the audience pointed in the second position á terre or raised to the second en l'air.
4. Écarté devant: écarté front; the dancer faces one corner of the room with the leg that is closer to the audience pointed in the second position á terre or raised to the second en l'air.
5. En face: facing the audience
6. En croix: in the shape of a cross; indicates that an exercise is to be done in the 4th position front, 2nd position, and 4th position back and vice versa