Dance Terminology

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Note: This story does not require you to be well-versed in dance terminology. However, this page provides brief descriptions and examples of a few basic moves that you may refer back to at any point if desired.

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|𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄|

━━ ❧ ballet;

a classical form of dance which requires grace and precision, utilizing steps and gestures with intricate, flowing patterns that create expression through movement.

━━ ❧ contemporary ballet;

a genre of dance that combines elements of classical ballet and modern dance. It employs a more formal ballet and pointe technique, but also encourages greater range of movement of the upper body, allowing for less defined body lines and forms demanded in traditional ballet.

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|𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐒|

━━ ❧ relevé;

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━━ ❧ relevé;

a movement in which a dancer rises up from flat feet, onto the balls of their feet, or all the way up to full pointe.

a movement in which a dancer rises up from flat feet, onto the balls of their feet, or all the way up to full pointe

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━━ ❧ arabesque;

a movement in which the body is supported on one leg, the torso remains upright, and the other leg is extended backward.

a movement in which the body is supported on one leg, the torso remains upright, and the other leg is extended backward

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━━ ❧ tilt;

a movement like an arabesque except that the torso leans toward the floor, opposite the extended leg.

a movement like an arabesque except that the torso leans toward the floor, opposite the extended leg

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━━ ❧ bourée;

a movement in which the dancer shifts their body weight quickly from foot to foot, usually on pointe, in a series of small steps.

a movement in which the dancer shifts their body weight quickly from foot to foot, usually on pointe, in a series of small steps

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━━ ❧ pirouette + fouetté;

a pirouette is the act in which a dancer spins on one foot, typically with the raised foot touching the knee of the supporting leg. the addition of a fouetté involves a quick whipping movement of the raised leg in order to gain momentum for multiple turns.

 the addition of a fouetté involves a quick whipping movement of the raised leg in order to gain momentum for multiple turns

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━━ ❧ jeté;

a jump in which a dancer leaps from one foot to land on the other with both legs extended in opposite directions while in the air.

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|𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐍𝐈𝐐𝐔𝐄|

due to the differences in muscle development and body structure between females and males, the sexes typically employ distinct techniques from each other.

━━ ❧ female;

traditionally, the female ballet dancer uses pointe technique, in which most of her jumps, spins, and other movements are done on an arched, fully pointed foot.

━━ ❧ male;

traditionally, the male ballet dancer does not perform en pointe, rather using the balls of his feet during movements such as spins. The male dancer typically performs higher jumps than the female, and is responsible for holding their female partner up during a lift.

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A/N: Hey everyone! So this story will involve a lot of dance (obviously), but don't let scare you away from reading. I won't make it very technical, I just thought having a very basic terminology chapter could help give you an idea of some of the movements and the style of dance that the characters will mainly be performing throughout the book. There is a LOT more to the plot than just dance, don't worry.

Can't wait to get updating in a few weeks!

-Hoseokiiss

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