relevé
[ruhl-VAY]
Raised. A raising of the body on the points or demi-pointes, point or demi-pointe. Relevé may be done in the first, second, fourth or fifth position, en attitude, en arabesque and so on. In the Russian school the term relevé is also used to mean the slow raising of the stretched leg to 90 degree in any direction. See Battement relevé lent.
relevé lent
[ruhl-VAY lahn]
Slow raising. Full name of this step is Battement Relevé Lent, which is battement raised slowly. A term of the Russain School. It describes when a dancer starts in one of the basic ballet positions of the feet with straight legs, then lifts one leg off the floor while raising up to relevé on the supporting leg while moving in a slow adagio tempo, all without a plié. Battement Relevé Lent can be done in all directions.
renversé
[rahn-vehr-SAY]
Upset, reversed. Of Spanish origin, this is the bending of the body during a turn in which the normal balance is upset but not the equilibrium. The body bends from the waist, sideways and backwards, the head following the movement of the body. Reneversé may be performed en decors and en sedans with either a relevé or a temps levé on the supporting foot.
retiré
[ruh-tee-RAY]
Withdrawn. A position in which the thigh is raised to the second position en l’air with the knee bent so that the pointed toe rests in front of, behind or to the side of the supporting knee.
rond de jambe à terre
[rawn duh zhahnb a tehr]
Rond de jambe on the ground. An exercise at the barre or in the centre in which one leg is made to describe a series of circular movements on the ground. Both legs must be kept perfectly straight and all movement must come from the hip, along with the arching and relaxing of the instep. The toe of the working foot does not rise off the ground and does not pass beyond the fourth position front (fourth position ouvert) or the fourth position back. This is an exercise to turn the legs out from the hips, to loosen the hips and to keep the toe well back and heel forward. There are two kinds of ronds de jambe à terre: those done en dedans (inward) and those done en dehors (outward).
The exercise at the barre is usually preceded by a preparation from the first or fifth position which is done on two introductory chords. Fifth position R foot front (L hand on bar, R arm in second position). Chord 1: demi-plié (lowering the R arm to the first position) and slide the R foot forward to the fourth position, pointe tendue (raising the R arm to the first position and inclining the head toward the bar). Chord 2: slide the R toe along the floor, describing an arc and finishing in the second position as the L knee straightens (the R arm opens to the second position and the head turns to the right). On the “upbeat” the R foot is drawn in an arc to the fourth position back (the head turns forward) and the dancer begins a series of ronds de jambe à terre en dehors. For ronds de jambe à terre en dedans, reverse the movements.
rond de jambe en l'air
[rawn duh zhahnb ahn lehr]
Ronds de jambe en l’air are done at the bar and in centre practice and may be single, or double, en dehors or en dedans. The toe of the working foot describes an oval, the extreme ends of which are the second position en l’air and the supporting leg. The thigh must be kept motionless and the hips well turned out, the whole movement being made by the leg below the knee. The thigh should also be held horizontal so that the pointed toe of the working foot passes at (approximately) the height of the supporting knee. Ronds de jambe en l’air may also be done with the leg extended to the second position en l’air (demi-position) and closed to the calf of the supporting leg. The accent of the movement comes when the foot is in the second position en l’air. The movement is done en dehors and en dedans.
royale
[ruah-YAL]
Royal. A changement in which the calves are beaten together before the feet change position. Also termed “changement battu.” Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plié in preparation for a small spring into the air, opening both legs slightly. Quickly close the legs and beat the calves of the legs together, open slightly to the side, and come to the ground in demi-plié in the fifth position R foot back.