Ballet glossary!

Degage: similar to tendu, only, the foot is lifted about 3 inches off the floor.
Demi-plie: done in five positions. Demi is the half-movement of the full (grand) plie.
Dessous: means "under" or "back"
Developpe: a movement from adagio which is an extension of the leg. TO EXECUTE (a basic developpe): start in 5th (right foot front), and bring the right foot up to passe. Then extend forward 90 degrees. Execute to the side, then to the back, and then to the side again for a basic exercise. (p. 17, 35, 61)
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Ecarte: facing the corner
Echappe: movement of beginning in 5th jumping to 2nd, and then jumping back to 5th (always pointe toes and stretch the legs)
Efface: a position in which the legs are open and "uncrossed" (opposite of croise)
Elevation: the acquiring of flight, consisting of two elements: elevation proper and ballon
Emboite: a turning jump. TO EXECUTE: start in 5th position (right foot front), demi plie, jump up and turn 180 degrees (right foot up in passe). Land on left foot (right foot still in passe) and repeat one more time to return to the start position.
En dedans: a rotating movement directed inward ("closing the door" is a way to remember it)
En dehors: a rotating movement directed outward ("opening the door" is a way to remember it)
En face: (part of epaulement). It is the natural direction for 1st and 2nd position (head and shoulders remain in the natural position). In other words, just facing front toward where the audience would be. Epaulement: the use of the head and shoulders which helps a dancer master the artistry of classical ballet. After strnght in the body is gained, exercises begin to use the basic body positions.
Extension: stretching body part to its extreme point (example; bent knee to straight leg)
(p. 20, 22-23, 29, 58, 69, 98-99, 103-106, and 127)
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Facial expression (in epaulement): facial expression in epaulement changes depending on the position. If the right foot is tendus forward, the head looks up and out. If the tendus is to the side, the head is up and straight ahead. If the tendus is to the back, the head is inclined or up and straight ahead if arms are in arabesque. This basic positioning of the head is used in almost all steps in ballet.
Failli: a movement done on one count, has a characteristic fleeting air about it. Since I have never done this step before, I will use Agrippina Vaganova's explanation from The Basic Principles of Classical Ballet : "stand in 5th position, right foot front. Demi-plie, jump up vertically, feet close together. During the jump, turn body efface back, and immediately, without a pause, move the extended toe of the left foot on the florr through 1st position forward in croise, and then demi-plie." This movement must be done with the correct arm positions.
Flic-Flac: a movement done in exercises and as a linking movement in adagio. Has a "lashing character". It is simply a touch of the toe to the side, then to the front, then into coupe. It is done in en dedans and en dehors, on half toe, and en turnant (turn).
Fondu: a preparation movement used for more complex steps. The basic execution is: plie in 5th (right foot front), bring the right foot up to cou-de-pied and keep the toes pointed. Fondu can be done in battements, jetes, and sissones.
(p. 21-22, 34, and 97-98)
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Gargouillade: French term (also known as rond de jambe in the Russian school). In en dedans, it is usually used in class, but not done on stage very often. [I have never ever heard this term before so when I finally learn what it actually is, I will be sure to write it here J]
Glissade: as you can see from the name, this is a gliding movement associated with other steps, such as the leap, in ballet. When executed correctly, it appears that the dancer is “gliding” across the floor, without the bouncing of the body that would be seen in an inexperienced dancer or amateur. TO EXECUTE: This step always begins and ends with a plie. Start in 5th position (right foot front) and demi-plie. As you plie, tendu the right foot to the side in 2nd position. As soon as the body weight is transferred to the right leg, immediately bring the left leg into 5th behind the right foot. The finish with a demi-plie. Remember that this is a very graceful “gliding” movement. There should be no excessive movement of the upper body. It is best to remain in plie throughout the entire movement.
Grand: simply means the enlargement or intensifying of a movement normally done in “petit” or “demi” (grand meaning “big). Various grand steps include: the grand adagio, grand assemble, ballonne, battement, changement de pieds, echappe, emboite, fouette, jete, pas de basque, pirouette, plie, port de bras, releve, and ronds de jombe.
(p. 92, 97-97)
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Hands: As unimportant as they may seem, the hands of a dancer are actually very important to their level of technique. When in position, the fingers should be freely grouped and rounded somewhat to continue the curve of the arms. The thumb should touch the middle finger and be held there during exercises. No spread hands or ungrouped thumbs are acceptable.
Head: The head of a dancer is important in every aspect of ballet technique. It symbolizes the true artistry and beauty of ballet and it is necessary for a dancer to learn the correct placement for it. To see examples of this and to gather more detailed information, see “Port de bras” in the Basic Movements section of Arabesque.
(p. 42, 45)
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Jete: comes from the French word, jeter, which means to “throw” or in ballet, “to throw the leg and fall onto it”. This movement is similar to the glissade in that they are both types of “gliding” movements. TO EXECUTE: the most common jete starts in 5th position (right foot front). Demi-plie and tendu the right foot front. Execute a pas de bourree or simple preparation movement and bring the back foot forward in what resembles a leap. The arms are immediately in arabesque position and the front foot lands first, with the back foot following in behind. Finish in 5th position and demi-plie. More complex jetes include: the jete battu, en tounant, en tournant par terre, entrelance, ferme, fondu, grand, in half turns, passé, on pointes, and renverse.
Jumps: the act of swiftly moving into the air in an upward motion. To see a complete list of jumps and information, click here.
(p. 68-69, 77)
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Movements (Noverre's seven): Noverre (1727-1810, a dancer and ballet master whose writings revolutionized ballet) analyzed all balletic movements into seven basic categories. These are: plier, to bend; étendre, to stretch; relever, to rise; sauter, to leap; élancer, to dart; glisser, to glide; and tourner, to turn.
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Opposition: Movement (or position) of the arms in opposite direction to movement (or position) of the legs--as we move our arms when we walk.
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Pas: A step. Many of the common names of steps in ballet are adjectives (or participles) instead of nouns; these names have the word "pas" understood: thus, for example, "coupé" (which everybody says) is actually short for "pas coupé" ["cut step"] (which nobody says). Also used to refer to a dance, as pas de deux, a dance for two; pas de quatre, a dance for four.
Pas de Basque ["Basque step"]: Starts in 5th position; assume right foot front. On the upbeat, demi-plié; the right foot glides forward in croisé and continues with a demi-rond de jambe en dehors to the side, while the left foot remains in plié. A small jump occurs onto the right foot in demi-plié. The left foot now glides through 1st position into croisé forward. On the final count, the weight is transferred to the left foot and a small jump is made to bring the feet together where the left one was placed. The movement finishes in 5th croisé. (Charlotte's FAVORITE!)
Pas de bourrée ["bourrée step," the bourrée being an old folk dance]: This term has at least two meanings.
1. One of the simplest connecting steps, used to link other steps in a combination. The commonest form is probably the pas de bourrée dessous. Assume your right foot is in front: left foot on half pointe; step on it and put your weight on it; move the right foot to the side, transfer your weight to it (also in relevé); move the left foot to the front of the right and put your weight on both feet in a plié.
2. (properly called pas de bourrée couru, "running pas de bourrée" or pas de bourrée suivi, "followed pas de bourrée"). A gliding movement by a dancer on pointe consisting of many very small steps taken with the feet close together. When a dancer uses bourrée as a verb ("Then you bourrée downstage"), she usually means pas de bourrée couru.
Pas de chat ["step of the cat"]: A jump. Leap off the left leg, starting from a plié and raising the right leg into retiré. In midair, raise the left leg into retiré, too, so your legs form a diamond shape in the air. Land on the right leg with the left leg still in retiré; then bring it down, landing in another plié. In the famous dance in Swan Lake in which the four cygnets dance with interlaced arms, they do sixteen pas de chat.
Pas de cheval ["step of the horse"]: Starting with the working leg in pointe tendu, draw it along the floor back to the supporting leg; then, without pausing, move it up to cou-de-pied and back out to pointe tendu in a small developpé. The step resembles the pawing of a horse.
Passé ["passed"]: A movement in which the pointed foot of the working leg is made to pass the knee of the supporting leg. Frequently used--incorrectly--as a synonym for retiré.
Penché ["leaning"]: A tilting of the body to achieve an exteme picture. An example is when the dancer is in an arabesque at 90 degrees. She then pushes her working leg upward and over, pushing the body down towards the supporting leg to achieve a much greater angle between legs, often resulting in a 180-degree split.
Petit battement ["little beat"]: An exercise for speed and agility in the lower leg. In the starting position, the working leg is sur le cou-de-pied. It opens in the direction of 2nd position but only half way, as the leg does not fully extend at the knee. The working leg then closes to sur le cou-de-pied opposite of where it started (in back if it started in front and vice versa). Done repeatedly, back and front. The knee and thigh of the working leg stay in the same place and do not move during the exercise.
Petit jeté ["little jump"]: A jump: brush the working foot out, hop off the supporting leg, and land on the working foot with the other foot sur le cou-de-pied behind. Can be done to the front, the side, or the back.
Pirouette ["spin"]: A complete turn on one leg. The dancer usually goes round more than once. The raised leg is most commonly held in rétiré, but pirouettes with the leg in other positions are not uncommon. If the direction of the turn rotates the raised leg away from the front of the body, the pirouette is en dehors; if it rotates the leg toward the front, it is en dedans. The dancer spots (see "spotting") in order to avoid becoming disoriented. Pirouettes are usually fast, but supported pirouettes, in which a partner steadies the soloist, may be done very slowly.
Placement: Roughly, alignment of the body. Becoming properly placed means learning to stand up straight, with hips level and even, shoulders open but relaxed and centered over the hips, pelvis straight (neither protruding nor tucked under), back straight, head up, weight centered evenly between the feet. This posture is frequently described as "pulled up," but it is also a relaxed posture; you aren't tensed up like a soldier standing at attention. (A teacher once said you should imagine that you are suspended by a thread attached to the top of your head. This suggests both the "pulled-up" and relaxed aspects of good ballet posture.) And as you dance, you seek to maintain this posture except when the step requires something different, like épaulement, or like the slight forward arch of the spine that accompanies an arabesque.
Plier ["to bend"]: One of Noverre's seven movements (see movements).
Plié ["bent"]: Knee bends, done with the legs turned out. Normally the first exercise in a ballet class. Demi-plié ["half-bent"] is a shallow bend (in all positions but second, as far down as you can go without lifting the heels off the floor); grand plié ["big plié"] is a deep bend, down to where the thighs are almost horizontal. In all positions except second, the heels release from the floor in a grand plié.
Pointe ["point"]: (demi ["half"], quarter, three-quarter, sur les pointes ["on the points"]). The point of the foot. Demi-pointe, etc., refer to how far the heel is raised off the floor in a relevé. Definitions vary, but this will do for starters: quarter point is with the heel just off the floor; three-quarter point is a straight line from the knee to the ball of the foot. Demi pointe is half way between. Sur les pointes, or "on pointe," is on the tips of the toes--literally. Children should not be allowed to go on pointe until the bones of their feet are fully developed--typically about the age of 11 or 12.
Pointe tendu ["stretched point (of the foot)"]: A position in which the working leg is stretched straight out in any direction with only the tip of the foot touching the floor.
Port de bras ["carriage of the arms"]: 1. How a dancer uses his arms. 2. Specific movements of the arms, as first port de bras, second port de bras, etc. 3. Sometimes used instead of cambré. A grand port de bras is a circular bend, either toward the barre, then down, then up away from the barre, and then backward and back toward the barre: or the same thing in the opposite direction.
Positions: see feet, positions of and arms, positions of.
Positions on stage: See: Croisé, effacé, en face, écarté.
Promenade ["walk"]: A pivot turn in which the dancer moves slowly around by shifting the heel of the supporting leg. The rest of the body may be in arabesque or attitude. In a supported promenade, the partner turns the soloist.