Glossary of Ballet Terms and Phrases

No guide to ballet would be complete without definitions for all the terms and phrases associated with this graceful and powerful form of dance.

Much of the terminology used in ballet is taken from the French, and newcomers to the subject may feel like they need to be armed with a translation dictionary to understand it. So to help you out, we've put together a handy A to Z guide of all the phrases and words you'll need to know, whether you're attempting an arabesque, a grand jeté or a pas de deux.

Select a letter from the menu below to start breaking down all that ballet jargon.