In addition to the vocabulary for Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced Foundation, dancers studying the Royal Academy of Dance Advanced 1 syllabus are expected to attain knowledge of the following:
Arabesques
Arabesque: “an ornament or style made of a detailed pattern of interlaced lines; a dance pose”
Arabesque penchée
“arabesque; tilting or leaning action”
Ballottés
Ballotté: “to toss about; a tossed step”
A rocking movement in which the weight is transferred from one foot to another.
May be performed with an adage quality, as a sauté with an allegro quality or en pointe.
Ballotté sauté dessous
“tossed step; jumped; under”
A rocking movement in which the weight is transferred by jumping from one foot to the other.
The dancer begins with the back leg extended behind à terre or en l’air and then springs into the air, with the knees bending and the ankles crossing at the height of the jump. The dancer lands en fondu while unfolding the front leg forward through retiré devant.
Ballotté sauté dessus
“tossed step; jumped; over”
A rocking movement in which the weight is transferred by jumping from one foot to the other.
The dancer begins with the front leg extended to the front à terre or en l’air and then springs into the air, with the knees bending and the ankles crossing at the height of the jump. The dancer lands en fondu while unfolding the back leg backward through retiré derrière.
Battement lent
Battement lent: “beating; slow”
A sustained lifting and lowering of the working leg.
Battement lent devant
Brisés
Brisé: “to break or shatter”
Coupé brisé devant
“cutting step; broken step; front”
A composite step comprising a coupé and a variation of a brisé (from one foot to the other, instead of one foot to the same).
The dancer begins en fondu with the working foot placed at or slightly above cou-de pied devant.
Next, the dancer steps on the spot (sur place), passing the other foot through 1st position to extend devant above glissé height; jumps into the air beating the supporting leg against the back of the working leg to perform the beat in front of the body, changes feet, and lands in the starting position.
Coupé brisé derrière
“cutting step; broken step; back”
A composite step comprising a coupé and a variation of a brisé (from one foot to the other, instead of one foot to the same).
The dancer begins en fondu with the working foot placed at or slightly above cou-de pied derrière.
Next, the dancer steps on the spot (sur place), passing the other foot through 1st position to extend derrière above glissé height; jumps into the air beating the supporting leg against the front of the working leg to perform the beat in front of the body, changes feet, and lands in the starting position.
Brisé dessus travelling en avant
“broken step; over; travelling forwards”
A brisé travelling sideways and forwards in which the working leg begins and ends 5th derrière.
As the demi-plié begins, the working leg begins to slide towards 2nd position at glissé height.
The combination of the sliding movement and the push from the supporting leg provides the force to spring into the air, bringing the supporting leg up to the extended leg to beat derrière before changing to land in 5th position with the working foot derrière.
The arms are normally in 3rd position, with the arm corresponding to the working leg forward. The body leans over the arm and the eye line is out over the centre of the forearm.
Brisé volé devant
(Male syllabus only)
Chaînés
Chaîné: “chain step”
Chaînés en diagonale
Chaînés en diagonale en pointe
(Female syllabus only)
Demi-contretemps
Demi-contretemps: “half-off-beat step”
A linking step consisting of a temps levé and chassé passé.
Développés
Développé: “to unfold; an unfolding action of the leg”
Développé to 2nd en pointe
(Female syllabus only)
Grand battement développé
Entrechats
Entrechat: “to interweave or braid”
Entrechat six
“to interweave; six”
A jump in which the legs change to beat, change again to beat, and land with the other leg devant.
There are six interweaving actions, three with each leg.
(Male syllabus only)
Fouettés
Fouetté: “to whip or beat; whipped; whipping action”
Coupé fouetté raccourci sauté battu
“cutting step; whipped step; shortened; jumped; beaten”
A coupé fouetté raccourci sauté in which the legs join in the air to beat in 5th position without a change of feet before the landing.
Fouetté rond de jambe en tournant
“whipped action; circle of the leg; turning”
A spin initiated by the whip-like action of the working leg. Often referred to as “fouetté turns”.
(Female syllabus only)
Fouetté sauté
“whipped; jumped
Jetés
Jeté: “to throw; a thrown action”
Jeté battement en avant
Jeté passé in attitude derrière
(Female syllabus only)
Grand jeté en avant in attitude
Pas de basques
Pas de basque: “step of the Basque”
Pas de basque sauté battu en avant and en arrière
(Male syllabus only)
Pas de bourrées
Pas de bourrée: “bourrée step”
Pas de bourrées courus en avant and en arrière to dégagé, and de côté to demi-plié
Pirouettes
En dehors: doubles finishing in attitude and arabesque
En dehors: singles finishing in 4th position en fondu en pointe
(Female syllabus only)
En dehors: doubles with posés en demi-pointe
En dedans: singles with fouetté en pointe
(Female syllabus only)
En dedans and en dehors: with posé en demi-pointe
(Female syllabus only)
En dedan and en dehors: with posé en pointe
(Female syllabus only)
Relevé turns en dehors in 2nd position
(Male syllabus only)
Multiple pirouettes
(Male syllabus only)
Pirouette en dehors in 2nd position with petit sauté
(Male syllabus only)
Pivots
Pivot: “swivelling action”
Pivots en dehors and en dedans in arabesque and en dehors in attitude
(Female syllabus only)
Pivot en dedans in arabesque en fondu
(Male syllabus only)
Grand fouetté en tournant without relevé
(Male syllabus only)
Port de bras
Port de bras: “carriage of the arms”
Circular port de bras
Circular port de bras away from the barre
Relevés
Relevé: “to pull up; raise; lift; or push up; a lifted or lifting action.”
Relevés passé with half turn en diagonale
(Female syllabus only)
Relevés 1 to 1 in arabesque
(Female syllabus only)
Relevés in attitude derrière
(Female syllabus only)
Retiré
Retiré: “to take away or remove; a withdrawn position or action”
Retiré sauté passé: “withdrawn; jumped; passed”
Starting in 5th position, the push-off for the jump is from two feet. The working foot draws up to retiré position as the other leg stretches fully. The jump lands in 5th position with a change of feet.
Retiré sauté passé derrière
“withdrawn; jumped; passed; back”
A retiré sauté passé with the working foot beginning 5th devant and ending 5th derrière.
(Male syllabus only)
Ronds de jambes
Rond de jambe: “circle of the leg”
Grand rond de jambe en l’air en dehors
(Female syllabus only)
Single rond de jambe en l’air en dedans with relevés en pointe
(Female syllabus only)
Saut de basque
Saut de basque: “jump of the Basque”
A turning jump from one foot to the other.
The dancer steps in the direction of travel, turns en dedans and brushes the working foot forward in the direction of travel. The working foot opens to 2nd at 90 degrees as the body continues to turn in the air. The dancer completes the turn to land on the foot that brushed, with the other foot placed mid-shin.
(Male syllabus only)
Sissonnes
Sissonne: Thought to originate from “ciseau” – “scissors”
Sissonne fermée relevé de côté dessus en pointe
(Female syllabus only)
Sissonnes fermées relevés en avant and en arrière en pointe
(Female syllabus only)
Sissonne ouverte changée en avant into attitude
Sissonne ouverte changée en avant into arabesque
(Male syllabus only)
Sissonnes fermées changées en avant and en arrière
Sissonne ouverte changée en avant into arabesque
(Female syllabus only)
Sissonne battue fermée de côté dessus
(Male syllabus only)
Sissonne battue fermée en avant
(Male syllabus only)
Bibliography
This resource was created for revision purposes and is intended as a helpful guide.
It was compiled using the following Royal Academy of Dance publications:
Royal Academy of Dance (2021) Specifications. Available at: https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/exams/specifications-and-syllabus-updates/ (Accessed: 5 January 2023).
Royal Academy of Dance (2015) The Foundations of Classical Ballet Technique. Royal Academy of Dance Enterprises.
Royal Academy of Dance (2002) The Progressions of Classical Ballet Technique. Royal Academy of Dance Enterprises.
Ryman, Rhonda (2007) Dictionary of Classical Ballet. 3rd edition. Royal Academy of Dance Enterprises.
Dance Resources
Georgina Butler is an editor, a dance writer and a ballet teacher.
