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Ballet | Step-by-step

8 May 2015

From fundamentals to barrel turns, a series of short films demonstrating the physical techniques and movements of classical ballet - performed by James Hay and Yasmine Naghdi of The Royal Ballet.

The Fundamentals

Ballet | Step-by-step | The Fundamentals

The five foundation movements of ballet - from the 1st to the 5th

  • The basic ballet positions that are the absolute fundamental foundation movements.
  • These are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th.
  • The origin of the turned out feet can be traced back to the courts of Louis XIV; the women of the time wore long court dresses and only their feet were exposed. It is said that they would turn the feet out to expose more of the shoe and to show off their intricate footwork.

Barrel Turns

Ballet | Step-by-step | Barrel Turns

The barrel turn movement is one of the most difficult and powerful leaps

  • The barrel turn movement is one of the most difficult and powerful leaps, normally performed by a male dancer.
  • The dancer turns in the air, with extended forward leg leading the movement and the other leg pulls into attitude.

Tendu

Ballet | Step-by-step | Tendu

The dancer stretches out her leg and moves her foot from one position to another

  • The word means ‘stretched’, and is a shortened term for 'battement tendu'. This basic movement can work as a preparation for a more difficult one.

Grand jet茅

Ballet | Step-by-step | Grand jet茅

In this throwing movement the dancer springs from one foot and lands on the other

  • The word jeté is derived from jeter, ‘to throw’. When the movement is landed with legs extended, they move outwards from the body while in the air.
  • A grand jeté starts with a bigger spring or battement (high kick) to gain momentum and complete a bigger leap.

Port de bras

Ballet | Step-by-step | Port de bras

This 'carriage of the arms' should be a graceful accompaniment to movement of the legs

  • The dancers supports her arms from underneath and uses a strong core to delicately extend her arms through.

Entrechat-six

Ballet | Step-by-step | Entrechat-six

An interweaving movement in which a dancer jumps and beats his legs rapidly as they cross

  • Here James Hay of The Royal Ballet completes an entrechat-six, a jump with three beats of the feet in mid-air. The current world record, for a jump with six beats, is held by Wayne Sleep, who performed an entrechat-douze on British television in 1973.

Pirouettes

Ballet | Step-by-step | Pirouettes

A pirouette is an advanced movement, usually executed in the centre of the room

  • The dancer spins on one leg en pointe and the non-supporting leg is pulled into a retiré position.
  • She uses a spotting technique to whip the head, in order to fix on a single spot – in this case Yasmine was looking out to a London landmark as she completed a triple pirouette.

脡肠丑补辫辫茅

Ballet | Step-by-step | 脡肠丑补辫辫茅

This movement's literal meaning is an escape

  • Échappé means 'to escape’. During an échappé the dancer jumps from fifth position and lands in a second position plié. Like all jumps in ballet these require great strength and grace.

贵辞耻别迟迟茅蝉

Ballet | Step-by-step | 贵辞耻别迟迟茅蝉

贵辞耻别迟迟茅蝉, or 'whipping' turns; the dancer completes a pirouette followed by a pli茅 (bend)

  • Fouettés, or 'whipping' turns; the dancer completes a pirouette followed by a plié (bend). In Swan Lake the Black Swan performs 32 fouettés.

Tours en L鈥檃ir

Ballet | Step-by-step | Tours en L鈥檃ir

A double turn in the air performed by James Hay of The Royal Ballet

  • A Tour en L’air is a very exciting, typically male, jumping movement, meaning a turn in the air. Our dancer jumps straight upwards and completes at least one full revolution in the air before landing.
  • In this case James Hay of The Royal Ballet completes a double Tour en L’air - with great ease.

More Ballet

  • Film following the origins and development of classical ballet

Dance | Step-by-step

  • Techniques and movements of classical ballet

  • The techniques developed by legendary dancer Martha Graham

  • Classic hip-hop moves and the building blocks of Krump

  • Kathak dance moves from Hastas to Tatkars and Chakkars

大象传媒 Young Dancer

  • Five talented ballet dancers compete in the last of the category finals

Vines | Ballet | 贵辞耻别迟迟茅蝉

Vines | Ballet | Tours en l'air

Vines | Ballet | Pirouettes

Ballet