Which term means 'Below' in ballet vocabulary?

Which term means 'Below' in ballet vocabulary?

• A. En bas
• B. En haut
• C. Fondu
• D. cou-de-pied

Answer: (A)

In ballet, directions and positions are given with French terms that specify where the body should go. When you need to indicate something is below or downward, the word en bas is used. It literally means “lower” or “down,” and you’ll hear it when instructing a dancer to lower the arms to a low position or to move a body part toward the floor. It contrasts with en haut, which means above or overhead. The other terms describe different ideas: fondu refers to a sinking or melting movement with a bent supporting leg while the working leg lengthens, not a direction; and cou-de-pied names a specific foot placement on the ankle, not a downward direction. So en bas is the term that communicates below.

In ballet, directions and positions are given with French terms that specify where the body should go. When you need to indicate something is below or downward, the word en bas is used. It literally means “lower” or “down,” and you’ll hear it when instructing a dancer to lower the arms to a low position or to move a body part toward the floor. It contrasts with en haut, which means above or overhead. The other terms describe different ideas: fondu refers to a sinking or melting movement with a bent supporting leg while the working leg lengthens, not a direction; and cou-de-pied names a specific foot placement on the ankle, not a downward direction. So en bas is the term that communicates below.