Ballet, like anything else, has a vocabulary unique from all others. Most ballet moves are named in French, so a major portion of the ballet vocabulary is made up of the French language. Pictures can help beginning ballerinas understand these complex words and movements.
Ballet’s First Five Positions
All ballet is based around the first five basic steps that a ballerina learns. These five ballet moves are the building blocks of all ballet positions:
Pictures of Plies
The Demi Plie is executed by bending the knees only half way. It is executed in 2 counts, and is the building block ballet technique of every ballet move to be executed. When practicing, face the bar to help you keep correct posture. The Demi Plie should be practiced while the dancer is in each of the first five positions.
A Grande Plie is executed with a full bend of the knee with four counts on the downward move, and four counts on the upward lift. When the dancer reaches a full bend their heels will lift off the floor and then make contact with the floor to aid the dancer in coming back up. When executing a grande plié in the second basic ballet position, the heels will not be lifted at full bend. The grande plié, like the demi plié, is best executed in a bar facing position so you can remain balanced.
Exercise to Help You Gain Strength
Battements Tendus are exercises for the dancer to increase the strength in the arches of your feet. Your supporting foot should have your entire weight centered on the ball of the foot. Then, the other leg will begin to move out in a sliding motion from the front position. This first move is known as a la quatrieme. Then the foot will continue to be lifted slightly to the side. This is known as a la seconde. Finally, the foot gracefully glides toward the rear. This last movement is known as a la quatrieme derriere. This entire exercise should be executed with the foot seeming to slide through something as thick as peanut butter yet in a straight line.
There are other battements meant to help the dancer to strengthen their feet, and include:
There is numerous other ballet terms with pictures needed for the novice to know anything about ballet. Searching for a good illustrated book of ballet terms with pictures will aide you in your discovery of ballet terminology. You might try your local ballet class to find poster illustrations.