How Well Do You Know Ballet Terminology?

By: John Miller
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
How Well Do You Know Ballet Terminology?
Image: shutterstock

About This Quiz

In the 1400s, the Renaissance swept through Europe and fueled the rise of ballet. Since then, ballet has become an extremely technical form of dance that's popular all over the world. With its graceful and athletic moves, both female and male dancers labor for years of their lives, yearning to perfect their form. In the meantime, they must also master the language of ballet, which is mostly based on French terminology. In this quiz, swoop into the "pas de chat” (step of the cat) and let's see if you really know your ballet terms!

Are you on the same level as Anna Pavlova, Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn? They were virtuoso performers who took the world by storm with their technical precision and dancing prowess. You can bet they knew exactly what the "pas de cheval” and "petit saut” were before they ever took the stage. Do you know the finer points of the pirouette? Or do you confuse this common move with the poisson?

In ballet, "port de bras” is extremely important, as it refers to the way dancers move their arms to various positions. And to make it even more confusing, port de bras is different from place to place all over the world, so beginning dancers may take alternate approaches to this concept. Do you really think you can parse the details of ballet's glossary?

Let's see your best revoltade and royale in this ballet terminology quiz! Maybe you'll prove to be a protégé worth of the stage ... or perhaps you'll fall flat on your face!

What is "balance"?
when ballet dancers thrash around on stage
inner ear anatomy
a sequence of steps
What's a term for a suite of dances in ballet?
grand pas
grand prix
leap for mankind
What does it mean if a dancer does something in "adagio"?
in France
with vicious intent
slowly

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What does a dancer do in a "glissade"?
slaps her rival for the lead part
glides
flies
What is "arabesque"?
a triple jump
a type of pose
a style of dancer
If a dancer rises to a point from flat feet, she is performing an ____.
siete
eleve
cloven hoof

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What's a "tutu"?
a dance involving two people
a made-up ballet term
a skirt
What's a word for type of ballet jump?
brise
releve
glissade
What work describes moves that are done briskly?
mime
avant, en
allegro

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What's a word for when a dancer falls into a subsequent move?
tombe
tendu
oops
In "croix, en," a move is performed in _____.
rapidity
birdlike manner
the shape of a cross
Which term means that a dancer is turning in the air?
bird en el wingo
Flappy Bird
tours en l'air

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What's a "barre"?
a handrail
a guitar solo played during a ballet show
a vertical dance pole
What's a term for a female ballet performer?
diva
ballerina
concertina
In a "cambre," dancers ______.
create paper airplanes
bend at the waist
vomit uncontrollably

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What does it mean if a dancer performs "attitude"?
He refuses to leave the dressing room.
He puts his leg behind and at a 90-degree angle.
He gets snotty with the director.
What's a word used to describe a truly amazing ballet dancer?
virtuoso
maestro
black swan
What does it mean if a dancer is "a terrer"?
faking her own death
touching the ground
eating a cupcake

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A "hortensia" makes it look like a male dancer is doing what?
slapping invisible spirits
swimming in air
committing ritual suicide
What word indicates that about half a move is performed?
demi
quattro
halfsies
In a "fouette," a dancer ____.
shakes his or her hair
pivots
flails in agony

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What's a "turnout"?
a somersault
when dancers turn their toes and knees away from each other
the number of spectators
What move involves one big step quickly followed by two smaller steps?
double skip
triple runs
quad attack
If a dancer performs a ____, she does two of the same move.
coda
double
demi

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When a dancer does a "face, en," in which direction is she facing?
the audience
newspaper reviews
a mirror
If a director says a move needs more "ballon," what does that mean"
more lightness
lift her higher
more red balloons
Who participates in a "fish dive"?
four male dancers
male and female dancers
hungry audience members

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What does it mean if a dancer adds bravura to her moves?
falling motion
very slow motion
lots of flashiness
"Cou-de-pied" is a move that refers to which part of the body?
the buttocks
the feet
the face
Which part of a ballet finishes the show?
demi-solo
treble
coda

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