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Plié
[plee-AY]
Bent, bending. A bending of the knee or knees. This is an exercise to render the joints and muscles soft and pliable and the tendons flexible and elastic, and to develop a sense of balance.
Pas Jeté
[pah zhuh-TAY]
Throwing step. Is brushed into the air and appears to have been thrown.
Petit Battement sur le cou-de-pied
[puh-TEE bat-MAHN sewr luh koo-duh-PYAY]
Small battement on the ankle. This is an exercise at the bar in which the working foot is held sur le cou-de-pied and the lower part of the leg moves out and in
Penché
[pahn-SHAY]
Leaning, inclining. As, for example, in arabesque penchée.
Pirouette
[peer-WET]
Whirl or spin. A complete turn of the body on one foot, on point or demi-pointe. Pirouettes are performed en dedans, turning inward toward the supporting leg, or en dehors, turning outward in the direction of the raised leg.
Piqué
[pee-KAY]
Pricked, pricking.
Pirouette piquée
[peer-WET pee-KAY]
Pricked pirouette. This is a pirouette in which the dancer steps directly onto the point or demi-pointe with any given position. This turn is executed either en dedans or en dehors.
Petit jeté
[puh-TEE zhuh-TAY]
Small jeté. From a demi-plié in the fifth position the working foot glides along the floor until it reaches a position à la demi-hauteur. The supporting foot springs from the floor and the landing is made in fondu on the working leg with the other foot extended in the air or sur le cou-de-pied.
Pas de bourrée
[pah duh boo-RAY]
Bourrée step.
Pas de bourrée couru
[pah duh boo-RAY koo-REW]
Pas de bourrée, running.
Pas de chat
[pah duh shah]
Cat’s-step. The step owes its name to the likeness of the movement to a cat's leap.
Pas ballonné
[pah ba-law-NAY]
Ball-like or bouncing step. A step in which the dancer springs into the air extending one leg to the front, side or back and lands with the extended leg either sur le cou-de-pied or retiré.
Porté
[pawr-TAY]
Carried. Refers either to a step which is traveled in the air from one spot to another (such as assemblé dessus porté) or to the carrying of a danseuse by a danseur.
Polonaise
A processional dance in 3/4 time with which the court ballets of the seventeenth century were opened. It may be seen today in such ballets as The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. The polonaise is a march in which two steps are taken forward on the demi-pointes and then the third step is taken flat with the supporting knee bent in fondu and the other leg raised in front.
Première
[pruh-MYAY]
First.