A Proper Dance Warm Up: 1. Prepares the body and mind for more strenuous exercise. 2. Increases the heart rate and respiratory rate which increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients to working muscles. 3. Helps to prevent injury over time by increasing flexibility and range of motion.

Basic Terminology Releve’ 1. Releve’--To rise onto the toes. Plie’ 2. Plie’--To lower the pelvis by bending the knees over the toes.

Basic Terminology Passe’ 3. Passe’-- Toe is drawn up to touch the opposite knee, can be parallel or turned out. Tendu 4. Tendu -- To stretch the foot along the floor to a full point.

Basic Terminology Jazz Walk 5. Jazz Walk -- Rhythmic walks usually done moving sideways or forward with the hips initiating the movement. Pivot Turn 6. Pivot Turn --Step forward on one foot and turn 180 degrees without picking up the feet.

Basic Terminology Chasse’ 7. Chasse’ -- To chase; step together step performed with a gliding action; feet “kiss” and point in the middle. Chaine Turn 8. Chaine Turn -- “chain”; a two step turn that can be performed in releve’ or plie’.

Basic Terminology En croix 9. En croix--”In the shape of a cross”; to perform an exercise to the front, side, and back.

Basic Terminology Spotting 10. Spotting -- Enables a dancer to do a number of turns without becoming dizzy. Focus on an object with the head at natural position, once head begins to rotate eyes stay fixed on the object until the head can no longer hold it anymore. Head snaps around to the starting position.

Basic Terminology Pirouette 11. Pirouette -- A turn in place on one leg with the working leg usually in passe’ (parallel or turned out).

Basic Terminology 13. Port de bras 13. Port de bras--”Carriage of the arms”; arm movements and groups of exercises for the arms. Jazz hand 12. Jazz hand--Hand position in which the fingers are spread very far apart.

Basic Terminology Grand jete 14. Grand jete--”large jump”; takes off on one foot and lands on the other, attempting a “split’ position in the air.

Basic Terminology Choreography 15. Choreography -- The art of arranging movement into a meaningful whole. Choreographer 16. Choreographer -- One who creates dances.

Basic Terminology Turnout 17. Turnout -- Rotating the legs outward from the hip socket. Parallel 16. Parallel -- The opposite of turnout; knees and toes face forward with no outward rotation.

Basic Terminology Projection 19. Projection -- The performer’s energy, presence, and facial expression used to communicate with the audience.

Basic Terminology Pique turn Pique turn-- “pricked”; a traveling turn performed by stepping onto releve’ with a straight leg with the working leg in passe. Pas de bourree- 21. Pas de bourree- “step to the rear”; consists of three weight shifts--back, side, front; can be done in any direction or turning. Rond de jambe 22. Rond de jambe- “round of leg”; a circular movement of the leg.