En Pointe (Slow Updates)

Author's Note/Ballet Terminology

This is a ballet story of my own creation. Mine, get it, got it, good? Alright!

I will use many ballet terms throughout the story and I will try my best to describe them here. Many of my descriptions will draw from the book Technical Manual And Dictionary Of Classical Ballet (Third Revised Edition) by Gail Grant.

Cambré - (Com-Bray) - A bending from the lower back that can be done forwards, to the side, or to the back

Death plié - (Deh-th Ple-A) - A slow grand plié done with pulses (moving slightly up and down)

Plié - (Ple-A) - A bending of both knees while in any position (ex. First, second, third, fourth, or fifth position); in demi plié, the knees are bent outwards over the feet and the feet are kept on the floor, in grand plié the knees are bent outward over the feet and the body is lowered so that the back of the thigh just brushes the back of the calf, heels are raised off the floor.

Port de bras - (Port-duh-bra) - Movement of the arms through various portions (often positions that correspond with the feet, ex: first, second, fourth, or fifth) in a graceful and fluid manner

Relevé - (Rel-uh-vey) A smooth rising up from the ground without bending the knees until you stand on the tips of your toes. (Elevé has this same definition, and relieve usually has a plié, see plié, before it. But many schools now just use relevé whether or not there is a plié beforehand.)