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Expand your students vocabulary knowledge

Students grow as dancers the more knowledge they have.

Students vocabulary knowledge is often overlooked until at least vocational level, but if teachers inject the use of vocabulary within classes from the early stages it can make all the difference to how those students will grow as dancers.

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A teacher’s aim—besides teaching technique—is to ensure ballet students understand where the movement is coming from, what’s its purpose and how it progresses. Every class is an opportunity to expand vocabulary knowledge at any level. When a new step is introduced repeating the correct name, explaining the translation of the name, giving a reason behind the step, the use of imagery, all serve to create intelligent thinking dancers. 

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Some terms with translations, purpose, and some suggestions for use of imagery:

  • Glissade—To glide—A joining step—Traveling smoothly (sliding) terre à terre.

  • Battement—Beating—A beating movement of the stretched or bent leg.

  • Battement lent—Slow beat—Controlled line—Regal and proud showing power, strength and control.

  • Pas de Cheval—Step of the horse—Ensemble of movements—The way a horse paws at the ground.

  • Pas de Chat—Step of a cat—Bounding movement—Springing lightly like the pounce of a cat.

  • Échappé—Escaped—Performed as a sauté or sur les pointes—Feet escape the joined position equally with speed and join again.

  • Fondu—Sunk—A sinking step—Lowering of the body by bending the knee of the supporting leg, both legs bend and straighten simultaneously to train co-ordination for landings in grand allegro—A melting quality like melted cheese.

  • Ballon—Balloon—The moment of suspense in the air in jumps—Bounce like a beach ball.

  • Dégagé—Disengaged—Shifting weight from one foot to the other.

  • Développé—Developed—Unfolding of the working leg in the air—Show line and control—Capture the perfect photo.

All classical ballet terms are French, and when translated, the word in English is what has to be shown, for example, an Assemblé means to assemble, join the legs in the air, when students first learn this fact, it’s a light bulb moment and they know exactly what is required to execute an Assemblé correctly. Much the same with Sissonne, meaning the scissor like action of the legs in the air, when this is explained, what they must show is clear, when that knowledge is assimilated it can be applied. 

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In classical ballet each step has a natural progression and is introduced working à terre—on the floor, with no lifting of the leg, or jump or turn, which will be introduced in the higher levels. For example, Rond de jambe, when translated means around the leg, taught in the early stages with the working foot in contact with the floor, en dedans—inwards and en dehors—outwards. Students learn how to stabilise the hips and keep the weight over the supporting leg while executing this movement which progresses with the leg en l’air—in the air, with a jump—Sauté and turning—en tournant. All the time keeping the delivery of this knowledge interesting and memorable at each level using imagery to aid understanding and a reason behind each movement to tell a story. 

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The bigger picture being when students go onto audition and in the profession choreographers expect dancers to know and will only speak vocabulary when giving instructions and enchaînements—a linked sequence of steps. Those dancers with secure vocabulary knowledge are the most confident and quickest to pick up the choreography and ultimately the ones chosen for the place or company. Students grow as dancers the more knowledge they have, they become not only good technical dancers but also intelligent thinking dancers.

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April 2020

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