Dance Vocabulary

Transfer of weight from one foot to the other.

• Ball Change

• Fan Kick

• Charleston

• Grapevine

• Jazz Square

The simplest form of this is "step, kick, step, touch," however it can be modified in many ways.

• Ball Change

• Fan Kick

• Charleston

• Grapevine

• Jazz Square

The leg moves in an arc from one side of the body to the other.

• Ball Change

• Fan Kick

• Charleston

• Grapevine

• Jazz Square

A repeated pattern of step, back, step, together.

• Ball Change

• Fan Kick

• Charleston

• Grapevine

• Jazz Square

Creating four points with your feet by stepping to the front, crossing, stepping back, and back again, alternating the feet each time.

• Ball Change

• Fan Kick

• Charleston

• Grapevine

• Jazz Square

Pushing through the sections of the foot to stretch it. May be referred to as pushing through peanut butter.

• Plie

• Releve

• Rond de Jambe

• Saute

• Tendu

A small jump moving through plie, releve, into the air, and back to releve, then plie.

• Plie

• Releve

• Rond de Jambe

• Saute

• Pirouette

The working leg circles around the body like the hand on a clock. A continuous circle from 12 to 6 or 6 to 12.

• Plie

• Releve

• Rond de Jambe

• Saute

• Tendu

Literally, to raise. Rising through the balls of the feet to the toes or highest point of extension.

• Plie

• Releve

• Rond de Jambe

• Saute

• Pirouette

Literally, to bend. Keeping the feet in place and bending at the knees.

• Plie

• Releve

• Rond de Jambe

• Saute

• Tendu