| GRADE I Theory and Terminology Positions of the Feet first, second, third, fourth, fifth Positions of the Head erect, raised, lowered, inclined, turned Positions of the Body à la quatrième devant to fourth front à la seconde to second à la quatrième derrière to fourth back Movement of the Feet When moving from a closed position to an open position, slide the foot to a point and lower the heel. When moving from an open position to a closed position, point the foot and slide to a close. Movement of the Arms When moving from a low position to a high position, the arms usually pass through fifth in front. When moving from a high position to a low position, the arms usually pass through second and half second. Movement of the Head in a Pirouette There is one movement of the head; the head is the last to leave the audience and the first to return. Movements in Dance plier to bend élever to rise sauter to jump Fixed Points of the Practice Room The audience is at wall five. Starting with the right front corner, count the corners counter-clockwise: one, two, three, four. Count the walls in the same manner: five, six, seven, eight. Terms demi-plié half bending movement grand plié full bending movement grands-battements large beatings battements tendus beatings stretched battements frappés beatings struck en croix in the pattern of a cross; front, side, back, side retirés withdrawn movement developpés unfolding or developing movements relevés sur les demi-pointes en cinquième rising to the half points in fifth position échappé relevé escaping movements raised on the half points port de bras carriage of the arms: first and third adage slow and controlled or sustained movement petits changements des pieds little changes of the feet ronds de jambe à terre en dehors et en dedans circles of the leg on the ground, inward and outward grand pas de chat large step of the cat allegro quick movement coupe au-dessous et dessus cutting step under and over échappé sauté jumping, escaping movement jeté devant et derrière throwing step in front and in back posé en avant posing step to the front temps levé raised movement chassé chasing step enchaînements chain of steps retirés passés en avant withdrawing movements passing to the back or to the front au milieu in the center arabesque line posé coupé a posing, cutting step à terre on the ground en líair in the air; hip high demi en líair half way in the air; at 45 grand révérence large formal bow GRADE II Theory and Terminology Positions of the Feet première, seconde, troisième, quatrième, cinquième Positions of the Head erect, lowered, raised, inclined, turned Position of the Arms première first seconde second demi-seconde half second troisième third quatrième en avant fourth front quatrième en haut fourth high cinquième en bas fifth low cinquième en avant fifth front cinquième en haut fifth high Position of the Body à la quatrième devant, à la quatriéme derrière, à la seconde croisé devant crossed in front croisé derrière crossed in back Movement of the Head in a Pirouette There is one movement of the head in a pirouette; it is the last to leave the audience and the first to return. Movements in Dance plier, relever, sauter glisser to slide tourner to turn Terms demi plié half bending grande plié full bending grande battement large beating battements tendus à la seconde stretched beatings to second battements dégagés beatings disengaged ronds de jambe à terre en dehors et en dedans circles of the leg on the floor outward and inward battements frappés beatings struck petite battements sur le cou-de-pied little beatings on the ankle adage-developpé en croix developing movements in the pattern of a cross échappé relevé changé escaping movements raised and changed relevé en cinquième raised movements in fifth temps lié connecting movement pirouette assemblé de suite dessus et dessous connected assembling steps over and under coupe dessus et dessous cutting step over and under glissade devant et derrière gliding step in front and in back pas de bourrée dessous bourrée step under soussus over-under step changements changing of the feet deux two trois three échappé sauté escaping movement jumped sans changé without change balancé rocking chassé chasing tours en cinquième en diagonale turns in fifth in a diagonal temps levé raised movement jeté throwing step grand révérence large, formal bow GRADE III Theory and Terminology Positions of the Feet première, seconde, troisième, quatrième, cinquième Positions of the Head erect, raised, lowered, inclined, turned Position of the Arms première, seconde, demi-seconde, troisième, quatrième en avant, quatrième en haut, cinquième en bas, cinquième en avant, cinquième en haut Position of the Body à la quatrième devant, à la quatrième derrière, à la seconde, croisé devant, croisé derrière ecarte spread, from second Movements in Dance plier, relever, sauter, glisser, tourner, elancer to dart etendre to stretch Terms demi plié half bending grande plié full bending grande battement large beating battements tendus à la seconde stretched beatings to second battements dégagés beatings disengaged ronds de jambe à terre en dehors et en dedens circles of the leg on the floor outward and inward battements frappés beatings struck petite battements small beatings adage-developpé en croix slow, controlled movements échappé escaping movements relevé devant raised movement in front relevé derrière raised movement in back relevé passé en arrière raised movement passing to the back au milieu in the middle of the room port de bras carriage of the arms: first, second, third, and fourth grande rond de jambe en líair avec arabesque large circle of the leg in the air with an arabesque pirouette soubresaut sudden bound sissone en avant scissor step in front pas de bourrée devant et derrière bourrée step front and back changement changes of the feet glissade change gliding step change assemble assembling step glissade gliding step temps levé raised movement; hop chassé chasing step GRADE IV Theory and Terminology Positions of the Feet première, seconde, troisième, quatrième, cinqième quatrième ouverte fourth open, from first quatrième fermé fourth closed, from third quatrième croisé fourth crossed, from fifth Positions of the Head erect, raised, lowered, inclined, turned Position of the Arms première, seconde, demi-seconde, troisième, quatrième en avant, quatrième en haut, cinquième en bas, cinquième en avant, cinquième en haut Positions of the Body à la quatrième devant, à la quatrième derrière, à la seconde, croisé devant, croisé derrière, ecarte effacé shaded epaulé shouldered Movements in Dance plier, relever, sauter, glisser, tourner, elancer, etendre Also Know: the five arabesques, the fixed points of the practice room, attitude effacé, attitude croisé, et attitude en face Terms grande plié full bending grande battement large beating battements tendu stretched beatings battements dégagés beatings disengaged ronds de jambe à terre en dehors et en dedans circles of the leg on the floor outward and inward battements frappés beatings struck petite battements small beatings developpé unfolding or developing movement échappé relevé escaping movement raised coupé dessus et dessous cutting under and over battement balancé beaten rocking step relevé passé en arrière et en avant raised movement passing to the back and front foueté et foueté à terre whipping and whipping movements on the floor tondu en croix melting in the pattern of a cross pointe tendu stretched point petit retiré passé derrière et devant small withdrawing movements passing back and front grande rond de jambe en líair en dehors large circle of the leg in the air and outwards port de bras first, second, third, and fourth port de bras battement tendu beatings stretched adage slow, controlled movements trois relevé three raised movements attitude éffacé shaded attitude pas de bourée en soussus attitude croise pirouette en dedans allegro quick steps or movements deux changements two changes échappé sauté à la seconde escaping movements jumped to second pas de bourrée dessous bourée step under deux assemblés dessus soutenous two assembling steps over pas de bourrée couru bouree step running assemblé elancé en écarté assembling darted in a spread position grande jeté en tournant large throwing step turning sissonne ouverte en avant scissor step open to the front posé developpé posing step unfolding petit tours small turns entrechat royale royal interweaving step |
| Exam Theory |
| Arrive early. Warming up is essential. Dress neatly as if the exam were a performance. Be respectful of the examiners. Do not speak during the exam session unless the examiner directs a question to you. When answering, speak clearly. Know your theory. Review and quiz your classmates well before the exam session. Be able to answer questions like: What is ballet? Who was Enrico Cecchetti? Listen carefully to the examiners' directions during the exam session & smile. Thank your examiner when you finish & your teacher once you pass your exam. |
| Tips for Student Exams |
| As Taken From The Dance Station www.dancestation.biz/exam-theory |