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Ever wonder what your child's dance teacher is saying when she's belting out orders to her pupils during ballet class? " Demi-plee-ay, grande plee-ay, demi-plee-ay - pull tight! Demi-plee-ay, Reh-luh-VAY! Demi-plee-ay , poor-duh-bra." It can be very intimidating and very confusing for both you AND your child. The following is a guide to the basic steps of classical ballet.

ADAGE ( ah dahzh). This is slow, controlled movement that is normally used during barre work.

ARABESQUE (a-ra-BESK): the position of the body, in profile, supported on one leg with the other leg extended behind at a right angle and the arms held in various positions.

BALANCE (ba-lahn-say): to hold raised position

CHANGEMENT (shanzh-mahn): change of feet from one position to another

CHASSE (shah-say): one foot literally chases the other foot out of position.

DEVELOPPE (dayv-law-pay): position in which the non-supporting leg is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg and slowly extended to an open position.

ROND DE JAMBE (rawn-duh-zhahnb): literally means circle of the leg'; executed either on the floor or in the air.

PAS DE BOURREE (pah-duh-boo-ray): three quick steps to change position

PORT DE BRAS (poor-duh-brah): movement of the arms

PLIE (plee-ay): to bend

RELEVE (ruhl-uh-vay): raising the body and balancing on the balls of the feet.

Those are only the bare basics of movement in classical ballet. When attending a ballet performance, you may hear those around you discussing the intricate PAS DE DEUX (pronounced pah-duh-duh), which is a dance for two; maybe you heard someone compliment the handsome CAVALIER, who is the male partner of the ballerina. When someone remarks on the seemingly large CORPS DE BALLET (kawr-duh-ba-lay), they are referring to the dancers in a ballet who do not appear as soloists.

Many romanticize the ballet world, and its dancers, which accounts for the magic you feel as soon as you hear the first chord played by the orchestra. The house lights dim, then suddenly a ballerina is pirouetting her way across the stage. You smile softly as you realize that ballet is not as confusing as you once thought, then lean over to explain the pronunciation of fouette' to your enraptured ten year old daughter. One day you may be watching your own Prima Ballerina execute a difficult combination of tour jete's.

Learn more about this author, Jordana Hammersly.
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