Do you hear your dance friends and often get confused by some of the lingoes that they are using? There's no doubt that they use some words that may come off as pretty strange. Words like barre, partner, or attitude can be confusing when you don't know the meaning behind them.
To help with some of the confusion, a translation for those that are not dancers from a former dancer.
1. Fondu
As a non-dancer, this word makes you think of that cheesy (or chocolatey) dip that can sometimes be found in a fancy restaurant. Dancers know this term is used when they want to modify any one-legged position in order to indicate a bent supporting leg.
2. Merde
In ballet, this is what a dancers says to another dancer and it means good luck. However, it is not something to be said outside of dance, especially in front of someone who knows French (as its not a very nice word).
3. Attitude
Your parents tell you to stop giving the so much attitude all the time and you mind automatically refers to the ballet step, in which you are standing on one leg with the other in the air. And left wondering why in the world your parents want you to stop.
4. Barré
You know that place that people go to once they turn 21? In ballet, you don't have to be 21 to go to the bar. In this case, it's the place that you usually start your ballet class or warmup.
5. Marking
When a nondancer says that they are going to mark something, they usually mean that they are going to put it in their calendar. When a dancer says they are going to mark something (or do it at half speed) it means that they are not going to dance full-out.
6. En Pointe
Teenagers nowadays use this when complementing their friends by telling them that their outfit, makeup, hair, etc. is "on point". Dancers use this term (and a slightly different spelling) to describe what they are doing when they go on their toes in pointe shoes.
7. Frappé
You can order a whole number of different types at your local Starbucks, but would be severely disappointed if you tried to during dace class.
8. Traveling
If a non dancer says that they are traveling a long distance to get to their destination. The dancer might be momentarily confused because for them, traveling means that they are going across the floor, from one side to the other.
9. Sauté
If you ask a dancer to sauté, the pan of vegetables in front of them, they might look at you for a moment with panic before they realize that you don't mean you want them to jump on the veggies but to lightly toss them instead.
10. Combination
When your friend is walking with you in the hall and suddenly ask if you remember the combination, you may freak out for a second thinking of the impossibly difficult series of movements your dance teacher makes up, but don't worry chances are they are just asking if you know your locker combination.
11. Pirouette
As a non-dancer maybe you've heard of the chocolate cookies called Pirouettes. In dance, a pirouette is a non-traveling turn on one leg, of one or more rotations. But then again maybe you know both, as a pirouette is a pretty common dance move.
12. Partner
A partner often refers to someone significant other. In the case of ballet/dance, it is the person (male or female) that you do dances with.
"Ballet is a passion, an addiction, a sometime obsession, a lifestyle, a discipline, and art. (It is all these things and more). It is not a hobby."
