ècarté
[ay-kar-TAY] Example
Separated, thrown wide apart. Écarté is one of the eight directions of the body, Cecchetti method. In this position the dancer faces either one of the two front corners of the room. One leg is pointed in the second position à terre or raised to the second position en l’air. The torso is held perpendicular, but the shoulders are on a diagonal, with the raised arm being on the same side as the extended leg and the other arm in second position. The head is raised slightly and turned toward the raised arm so that the eyes look into the palm of the hand, or away from the leg looking over the elbow of the arm that is in a second position.
In Vaganova method there are two types of écarté:
In écarté devant (écarté to the front) the whole body is positioned on a diagonal, with the opened leg pointed to the lower corner. The head faces to the raised arm. If performed in the center on on stage, the head would be faced towards mirrors or the audience, not away.
In écarté derrière (écarté to the back) the body is also positioned on a diagonal, but the leg is open towards the upper corner of the room. The head is facing the arm that is open in a second position, looking over the elbow. If performed in the center on on stage, the head would be faced towards mirrors or the audience, not away.
échappé
[ay-sha-PAY]
Escaping or slipping movement. An échappé is a level opening of both feet from a closed to an open position. There are two kinds of échappés: échappé sauté, which is done with a spring from the fifth position and finishes in a demi-plié in the open position, and échappé sur les pointes, or demi-pointes, which is done with a relevé and has straight knees when in the open position. In each case échappés are done to the second or fourth position, both feet traveling an equal distance from the original center of gravity.
double échappé
[doob lay-sha-PAY]
Double échappé. A term of Vaganova method. This is échappé jump or en pointe, with a jump in open position, or relivé in open position. It is done to the second position or to the fourth position, either croisé or effecé.
effacé, effacée
[eh-fa-SAY]
Shaded. One of the directions of épaulement in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view. This direction is termed “ouvert” in the French method. Effacé is also used to qualify a pose in which the legs are open (not crossed). This pose may be taken devant or derrière, either à terre or en l’air.
échappé sauté en tournant
[eh-fa-SAY soh-TAY ahn toor-NAHN]
Échappé jumping and turning. The jump that is done with quarter or half-turns. The jump from the fifth position to the second position is done turning, then the jump returning to the fifth position is done in one place.
emboîté
[ahn-bwah-TAY]
Fitted together, boxed. The name is derived from the close fitting of the feet like a lid upon a box. It is a jump similar to jeté but without a brush of working foot. The dancer moves and alternates their legs in a bent position, springing from the floor into front attitudes. Can be also done en pointe.
entrechat
[ahn-truh-SHAH]
Interweaving or braiding. A step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the legs before and behind each other. Entrechats are counted from two to ten according to the number of crossings required and counting each crossing as two movements, one by each leg; that is, in an entrechat quatre each leg makes two distinct movements. Entrechats are divided into two general classes: the even-numbered entrechats, or those which land on two feet– deux, quatre, six, huit and dix– and the odd-numbered entrechats, or those which land on one foot– trois, cinq, sept and neuf. In all entrechats both legs beat equally. Even-numbered entrechats are done en face or en tournant, while odd-numbered entrechats are done devant, derrière, en tournant, the côté or de volée. In the Cecchetti method, entrechats are done with the knees bent and the feet drawn up so that one foot beats against the other from the base of the calf downward.
entrechat six
[ahn-truh-SHAH seess]
Six crossings. Demi-plié in the fifth position right foot front. With a strong jump open the legs, beat the right leg behind the left, open the legs, beat the right leg in front of the left, open the legs and finish in demi-plié in the fifth position, right foot back.
en l’air
[ahn lehr]
Example: Rond de Jambe en l’air
In the air. Indicates: (1) that a movement is to be made in the air; for example, rond de jambe en l’air; (2) that the working leg, after being opened to the second or fourth position à terre, is to be raised to a horizontal position with the toe on the level of the hip.
epaulé
[ay-poh-LAY]
Shouldered. A term of the Cecchetti method to indicate a pose in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience in an arabesque position with the body facing one or other of the two from corners of the stage.
épaulement
[ay-pohl-MAHN]
Shouldering. The placing of the shoulders. A term used to indicate a movement of the torso from the waist upward, bringing one shoulder forward and the other back with the head turned or inclined over the forward shoulder. The two fundamental positions of épaulement are croisé and effacé. When épaulement is used the position of the head depends upon the position of the shoulders and the shoulder position depends upon the position of the legs. Épaulement gives the finishing artistic touch to every movement and is a characteristic feature of the modern classical style compared to the old French style, which has little épaulement.
épaulement croisé
[ay-pohl-MAHN krwah-ZAY]
Shouldering croisé. The dancer stands in fifth position, facing the left corner of the room with the head turned to the right shoulder. The right foot is front or open to the front. If the dancer faces the right corner, the position reverses.
épaulement
[ay-pohl-MAHN]
Shouldering. The placing of the shoulders. A term used to indicate a movement of the torso from the waist upward, bringing one shoulder forward and the other back with the head turned or inclined over the forward shoulder. The two fundamental positions of épaulement are croisé and effacé. When épaulement is used the position of the head depends upon the position of the shoulders and the shoulder position depends upon the position of the legs. Épaulement gives the finishing artistic touch to every movement and is a characteristic feature of the modern classical style compared to the old French style, which has little épaulement.