Galop [ga-LOH]
A gay early nineteenth-century dance in 2/4 time. A galop is often used as a finale to a series of ballet divertissements.
Gargouillade [gar-goo-YAD]
Gurgling or rumbling. In the Cecchetti method and the French School the step resembles a pas de chat with a double rond de jambe, actually a rond de jambe and a half with the commencing leg. A brilliant executant will also do a double rond de jambe with the closing leg. The step may be done either en dehors or en dedans.
Gargouillade (Russian School) [gar-goo-YAD]
See Rond de jambe double.
Gargouillade en dedans (Cecchetti method) [gar-goo-YAD ahn
duh-DAHN]
Gargouillade inward. Fifth position R foot back. Execute a double rond de jambe en l’air en dedans à la demi-hauteur with the R leg and finish with the R foot at the side of the L knee. Spring upward and to the right off the L foot, landing in demi-plié on the R foot and bringing the L foot to the side of the R knee. (A double rond de jambe en l’air en dehors without the final extension à la seconde may be executed with the L foot before bringing it to the side of the knee.) Close the L foot in demi-plié in the fifth position front.
Gargouillade en dehors (Cecchetti method) [gar-goo-YAD ahn
duh-AWR]
Gargouillade outward. Fifth position R foot front. Execute a
double rond de jambe en l’air en dehors à la demi-hauteur with the R leg and finish with the R foot at the L knee. Spring upward and to the right off the L foot, landing in a demi-plié on the R foot and bringing the pointed L foot to the side of the R knee. (A double rond de jambe en l’air en dedans without the final extension à la seconde may be executed with the L foot before bringing it to the R knee.) Close the L foot to the fifth position front in demi-plié. This step is often preceded by a coupé dessous.
Gargouillade volé (Cecchetti method) [gar-goo-YAD vaw-LAY]
Gargouillade flown. Fifth position R foot back. Execute a double rond de jambe en l’air en dedans à la demi-hauteur with the R leg and finish with the R foot in retiré at the side of the L knee. Spring off the L foot onto the R and land in demi-plié sur place, turning the body effacé. As the R foot comes to the ground, draw the L point upward to the side of the R knee and open it to the fourth position en l’air, pointing to the left front corner of the room. Immediately lower the L foot to the fourth position, pointe tendue, body remaining effacé.
Gateway, the
This is a position of the arms in which the arms are held rounded in front of the body with the fingertips on a level with the bottom of the breastbone. The backs of the hands face outward with the arms rounded so that the elbows are a little below the shoulders and the wrists a little below the elbows with the point of the elbows imperceptible. This position corresponds to the fifth position en avant of the Cecchetti method and the first position of the Russian and French Schools. When the arms are raised from a low position to a high one, the arms generally pass through the gateway. See Port de bras.
Gauche, à [a gohsh]
To the left.
Gavotte [ga-VAWT]
This was originally a peasant dance but became a fashionable court dance during the reigns of Louis XIV and XV. It was later revived by Gardel at the Paris Opéra, where it became the basis for brilliant
solos.
Genou [zhuh-NOO]
Knee
Gigue [zheeg]
Jig. An early eighteenth-century dance in 2/4 time.
Glissade [glee-SAD]
Glide. A traveling step executed by gliding the working foot from the fifth position in the required direction, the other foot closing to it. Glissade is a terre à terre step and is used to link other steps. After a demi-plié in the fifth position the working foot glides along the floor to a strong point a few inches from the floor. The other foot then pushes away from the floor so that both knees are straight and both feet strongly pointed for a moment; then the weight is shifted to the working foot with a fondu. The other foot, which is pointed a few inches from the floor, slides into the fifth position in demi-plié. When a glissade is used as an auxiliary step for small or big jumps, it is done with a quick movement on the upbeat. Glissades are done with or without change of feet, and all begin and end with a demi-plié. There
are six glissades: devant, derrière, dessous, dessus, en avant, en arrière, the difference between them depending on the starting and finishing positions as well as the direction. Glissade may also be done sur les pointes.
Glissade changée [glee-SAD shahn-ZHAY]
Glissade, changing. In this glissade the feet alternate each time in the fifth position; that is, if the R foot is in back in the fifth position and the glissade is done to the right, the R foot will finish in the fifth position front, and vice versa. See Glissade dessous; Glissade
dessus.
Glissade derrière [glee-SAD deh-RYEHR]
Glissade in back. This glissade travels to the side and is commenced with the back foot, which remains in the back at the finish. Fifth position R foot back; demi-plié and slide the pointed toe of the R foot to the second position. With a slight spring from the L foot, shift the weight to the R foot, bending the knee, and slide the pointed L foot to the fifth position front, lowering the heel and bending the
knee.
Glissade dessous [glee-SAD duh-SOO]
Glissade under. This glissade travels to the side and is commenced with the front foot, which finishes at the back. Fifth position R foot front; demi-plié and slide the pointed toe of the R foot to the second position. With a slight spring from the L foot, shift the weight to the R foot, bending the knee, and slide the pointed L foot to the fifth
position front, lowering the heel and bending the knee.
Glissade dessus [glee-SAD duh-SEW]
Glissade over. This glissade travels to the side and is commenced with the back foot, which finishes in the front. Fifth position R foot back; demi-plié and slide the pointed toe of the R foot to the second position. With a slight spring from the L foot, shift the weight to the R foot, bending the knee, and slide the pointed L foot to the fifth position back, lowering the heel and bending the knee.
Glissade devant [glee-SAD duh-VAHN]
Glissade in front. This glissade travels to the side and is commenced with the front foot, which remains in front at the finish. Fifth position R foot front; demi-plié and slide the pointed toe of the R foot to the second position. With a slight spring from the L foot, shift the weight to the R foot, bending the knee, and slide the pointed L foot to the fifth position back, lowering the heel and bending the knee.
Glissade en arrière [glee-SAD ah na-RYEHR]
Glissade backward. This glissade commences with the back foot and finishes with it in the back, traveling en arrière, croisé en arrière or effacé en arrière. Fifth position R foot back; demi-plié and slide the pointed toe of the R foot to the fourth position back. With a slight spring from the L foot, shift the weight to the R foot, bending the knee, and slide the pointed L foot to the fifth position front, lowering the heel and bending the knee. Note: In all glissades the heel of the
commencing foot must be lowered to the floor before the heel of the closing foot.
Glissade en avant [glee-SAD ah na-VAHN]
Glissade forward. This glissade commences with the front foot and finishes with it in the front, traveling en avant, croisé en avant or effacé en avant. Fifth position R foot front; demi-plié and slide the pointed toe of the R foot to the fourth position front. With a slight spring from the L foot, shift the weight to the R foot, bending the knee, and slide the pointed L foot to the fifth position back, lowering the heel and bending the knee.
Glissade piquée [glee-SAD pee-KAY]
Glissade pricked. Same as glissade précipitée
Glissade précipitée [glee-SAD pray-see-pee-TAY]
Glissade hurried. This is a quick glissade, about half the size of an ordinary glissade. It is always followed by a posé and the two steps together take the same amount of time as an ordinary glissade. Glissade précipitée is usually done devant or dessus but it may also be taken derrière, dessous, en avant and en arrière.
Glissade pressée [glee-SAD preh-SAY]
Glissade pressed, hurried. Same as glissade précipitée.
Glissade sur les pointes [glee-SAD sewr lay pwent]
Glissade on the toes. Fifth position R foot back. Demi-plié and slide the pointed R foot to the second position; step directly onto the point with straight knee and quickly close the L foot on point to the fifth position front. Demi-plié, lowering the heels to the floor. The glissade may be done dessous, dessus, devant, derrière, en avant and en arrière, in all directions of the body.
Glissé [glee-SAY]
Glided, gliding. As, for example, in battement glissé.
Glisser [glee-SAY]
To glide. One of the seven movements in dancing.
Grand, grande [grahn, grahnd]
Big, large. As, for example, in grand battement. (To find terms starting with “grand,” look up the second word of the term.)
