Ballet glossary for beginners: The most important posture terms

Anyone entering a ballet studio for the first time often feels like they are in another world. This is not just because of the elegant movements, but above all because of the language. The entire ballet world uses French terms to precisely describe movements, postures, and directions. For you as a beginner, this ballet glossary for beginners is the key to following the instructor's directions without delay. Instead of struggling to figure out what is meant, your brain quickly translates the vocabulary into the correct physical action.

A solid basic knowledge of these ballet technical terms regarding posture also protects you from misunderstandings and strain. When you learn the ballet vocabulary, you immediately understand whether your leg should be stretched, your knee bent, or your axis stabilized. This theoretical foundation gives you the necessary confidence to focus entirely on your body during the class. If you would like to check your physical prerequisites in advance, our self-test for body awareness in ballet will help you.

Two of the absolute basic terms that you will encounter in every single lesson are Plié and Tendu. The word Plié simply translates to bent or folded. In training, it describes the controlled bending of the knees while the feet remain flat on the floor and the pelvis is held upright. It is the elastic shock absorber for all movements and the starting point for almost every jump. The knees always point precisely in the direction of the toes.

In contrast, there is Tendu, which translates to stretched. In this exercise, one foot slides along the floor outwards until the leg is fully extended and only the very tip of the toe touches the floor. The standing leg remains rock-solid and straight. Plié and Tendu form the perfect interplay of bending and stretching, from which almost all footwork in ballet originates. Once you have internalized these two concepts, you already possess the foundation for all more complex step sequences at the barre.

In addition to leg movements, the terms for the alignment of the entire body in space play a decisive role. Terms like En face mean that you face the audience or the mirror directly with your entire upper body. In contrast, terms like Croisé stand for a crossed position relative to the diagonal of the room, or Effacé for an open leg position facing the spectator. These alignments give dance its three-dimensional depth.

To keep these aesthetic lines clean, a stable core is essential. Only those who activate the deep muscles in the torso can move their arms and legs gracefully through space without losing their balance. A precise understanding of the technical terms helps you to engage the correct muscle group at the right moment. If you would like to specifically support your flexibility in the leg area, we recommend our ballet stretching exercises for the hips, which will make it noticeably easier for you to assume the classic positions.