2 3 Terminology Tuesday Jarreté | Ballet Webb

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Terminology Tuesday Jarreté



Terminology Tuesday Jarreté

Two terms I’d never heard before are jarreté [zhar-TAY] and its opposite, arqué [ar-KAY]. Jarreté means back of the knee and arqué means arched.

This is how the basic shape of a dancer’s leg is described. Today we would probably say “hyper-extended” instead of jarreté, and the opposite would be bowlegged (arqué). When the dancer with bowlegged (arqué) legs stands in first position there is a space between the knees.

When a dancer with hyper-extended legs (jarreté) stands in first position the knees touch even if the heels are apart. This is highly desired in today’s dance world despite it being more difficult to gain strength with these flexible, but lovely legs. Usually those with hyper-extended legs also have beautiful, highly arched feet.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Terminology Secret #44:
“Jarreté means knock-kneed, and arqué means bowlegged.”

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Quote of the Day:
“A person does not grow from the ground like a vine or a tree, one is not part of a plot of land. Mankind has legs so it can wander.”
― Roman Payne, The Wanderess

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