Entrechat Steps

During this week, almost ending the semester our Ballet professor assigned us a Blog about the different steps of Entrechat. In order to find all of the different types of Entrechat and investigate with such accuracy he told us to use our Ballet book "Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet" by Gail Grant and read pages 47 through 49.

Entrechat is a jump that braids in the air. Is a step in which the dancer jumps in the air and crosses the legs before and behind each other. Entrechats are counted from two to ten depending on the number of crossings required. The counting is done as two movements, one by each leg; that is called an entrechat quatre by each leg making two distinct movements. Entrechats are divided in two general classes which are the even-numbered entrechats, or those which land on two feet (deux, quatre, six, huit and dix). The odd numbered of entrechats lands on one foot (trois, cinq, sept, neuf). In all of the entrechats both legs beat equally. The even-numbered entrechats are done en face or en tournant, while odd-numbered entrechats are done, derriere, en tournant, de cote or de volee.

Entrechat cinq is similar to Entrechat quatre, except it has five crossings because cinq means five and the landing is made on one foot, while the other is placed sur le cou-de-pied either devant or derriere. Entrechat cinq devant is done on fifth position with the right foot in front. Demi-plie and a small jump is executed opening the legs slightly and beating the claves together with the right leg in the back, then opening the legs and landing on the left foot with the right foot sur le cou-de-pied devant. Entrechat cinq derriere is also done in fifth position but the right foot back. Demi-plie and with a small jump opening the legs slightly, beating the claves together with the right leg in the front, opening the legs and landing on the left foot with the right foot sur le cou-de-pied derriere. Entrechat cinq vole is done in fifth positiong with the right foot back. Glissade derriere, thrust the right leg out to the second position en l’air, pushing from the ground with the left foot. The left leg meets the right leg and it beats it in the back, then the legs open, the right leg beats in back of left, legs open, and the landing is made in demi-plie in the fifth position with the right foot front. Entrechat cinq ferme is a term of the French school. It is a mixture of an entrechat quatre commenced from the second position and finished in the fifth position. Entrechat cinq ouvert is also a term of the French school. It is a mixture of an entrechat quatre completed in the air, with the landing then made in the second position. Entrechat cinq ramasse is a step also known as “sissonne fermee battue”, as it is really a sissonne fermee with the beat of an entrechat quatre. It is done in a series, en avant, en arriere or de cote.Entrechat deux is an entrechat deux that has changing of feet and it has two crossings to execute changement battu. Entrechat de volee is a flying entrechat. Entrechat de vole is done in flight in any directing and is preceded by a demi-contretemps or a glissade. The landing is made in the fifth position. Entrechat dix has ten crossings since “dix” is the number ten in French. Entrechat huit has eight crossings, same as the entrechat six, except that another crossing is added since “huit” is eight in French. If the right foot starts in the fifth position front, it will finish in the fifth position front. Entrechat neuf has nine crossings. It is the same as an entrechat huit, except that the landing is made on on foot with the other sur le cou-de-pied either devant or derriere. Entrechat quatre has four crossings, done in fifth position and the right foot in front. Demi-plie and with a small jump lightly open the legs and beat the calves together with the right leg in back. Slightly open the legs and finish in demi-plie in the fifth position with the right foot front. Entrechat royale is a jump where the changement is done in which he calves are beaten together before the feet change position. Demi-plie is done with a preparation from a small jump into the air, opening both legs slightly. Quickly closing the legs and beating the calves of the legs together, opening slightly to the side, and coming to the ground in demi-plie in the fifth position with the right foot back. Entrechat sept has seven crossings and it is similar to entrechat six, except that the landing is made on one foot with the other foot sur le cou-de-pied either devant or derriere. Entrechat sept devant is done on fifth position with the right foot back. Demi-plie and with a strong jump open the legs; right leg beat in front of left leg; open legs; right leg beats in back of left leg; open legs and finish in demi-plie on the left foot with the right foot sur le cou-de-pied devant.Entrechat sept derriere is done on fifth position wit right foot front. Demi-plie and with a strong jump open the legs; right leg beat in back of left leg; open legs; right leg beats in front of left leg; open legs and finish in demi-plie on the left foot with the right foot sur le cou-de-pied derriere.Entrechat six has six crossings. Demi-plie in the fifth position with the right foot front and with a strong jump open the legs, beat the right leg behind the left, open legs, beat the right leg in front of the left, open the legs and finish in demi-plie in the fifth position, right foot back. Entrechat six de cote is a term of the Cecchetti method done same as the entrechat cinq de vole. Entrechat six de vole is a term of the Russian School done same as the entrechat cinq de volee. Entrechat trois has three crossings and it is finished on one foot with the other sur le cou-de-pied either devant or derriere. Entrechat trois derriere is done in fifth position with the right foot front. Demi-plie with a small jump opens the legs into a narrow second position in the air. Beat the right leg in front of the left, slightly open the legs and land on the left in demi-plie with the tight foot sur le cou-de-pied derriere. Entrechat trois devant is done in fifth position with the right foot back. Demi-plie with a small jump opens the legs into a narrow second position in the air. Beat the right leg behind of the left, slightly open the legs and land on the left in demi-plie with the tight foot sur le cou-de-pied devant.

Entrée means entrance in French. The term is given to the arrival of the dancer or group of dancers who perform a number in a divertissement. The term also applies to the beginning of a grand pas de deux in which the danseuse and danceur make their entrance. Entrelace or entrelacee means interlaced; for example, jete entrelace.   

Last but not least, there was so much vocabulary to internalized but it gave me the knowledge and the interest to learn more and more everytime.