IGNITE! Dance & Cheer

Arm Slide:  A hip-hop move that involves stepping out to the side and extending the arms out to the opposite side, then moving the opposite leg together as the arms are brought back to the chest

Avant, en:  "Forward" - A ballet term of the direction for the execution of a step, moving forward (i.e. towards the audience)

Ball Change:  A changing of the weight on the balls of the feet from one foot to the other; executed  
forward, to the side, or in place.

Barrel Turn:  a turn where one leg remains still and the other toe slides around while turning a circle

Battement (bot-mont):  A kicking movement of the working leg usually executied to the front (en avant), to the side (à la seconde), or back (en arriére)

Blades:  A hand formation in cheerleading where the hands are kept straight with the figers straight and glued together

Bourrée (boo-ray):  A movement done in relevé position (on the balls of the feet) with one foot in front of the other, where the dancer takes small steps moving in a certain direction.   The leg in front bends slightly during movement, while the leg in back remains straight.

Bow & Arrow:  A cheerleader motion where one arm is straight out to the side at shoulder level and the other arm's elbow is bent and at shoulder level, with the elbow pointed in the opposite direction.

Box Step:  A ballroom dance movement where the steps resemble the four corners of a square (i.e. step R to the side , step L crossed in front of R, step R to the back, step L to the L side)

Candlesticks (Fists):  A hand formation in cheerleading where the hands are crunched up in a ball (as if holding candlesticks)

Chainé (sha-nay):  A series of small steps linked together by quick turns along a straight line or circle

Chug:  a sliding of the foot forward where the balls of the feet remain on the floor and the heels are lifted and brought back down

Clasp:  A cheerleader hand position where the elbows are bent and the hands are cupped together at chest level

Cowboy:  A hip-hop move that involves walking forward or backward in plié (knees bent) while pulling the arms up to the chin with each step

Cramp Roll:  A tap step that involves toe and heel movements (i.e. R toe, L toe, R heel, L heel)

Criss Cross:  A hip-hop move that involves crossing the feet and jumping to second position (counts &1), then swaying from side to side for 3 counts in plié

Daggers:  A cheerleader position where the hands in fists are brought in to the chest with the elbows bent and kept against the body

Derrieré (dahr-ree-ay):  "Behind" or "to the back" - A ballet term referencing the direction of execution of a step (i.e. behind or to the back)

Développe (dayv-law-PAY):  "Time developed" or "developing" - A ballet move where the working leg is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg and slowly extended to an open position and held with control, keeping the hips level and square 

Dig:  a brushing of the heel

Échappé (ay-sha-PAY):  A ballet movement where both feet are opened from a closed to an open position.

Fan Kick:  A kick where the extended leg makes a high circular sweep

Glissade:   A ballet traveling step executed by gliding the working foot from 5th position in the required direction, then closing the other foot to it

Grapevine:   A movement/walk to the side, consisting of the following: 1) Step R foot to R side, 2) Step L foot crossing behind R, 3) Step R foot to R side, 4) Step L foot crossing in front of R 

Half-T:  A cheerleader position where the hands in fists are brought in to the chest with the elbows bent and pointing out

High Clasp:  A cheerleader position where the arms are straight above the head and the hands are cupped together

High V:  A cheerleader position where the arms are placed up in the air in a "V" form

Hitch Kick:  A kick movement that begins with placing weight on one leg, extending the other leg straight in front, and then kicking the other leg out (straight) to end with weight on the opposite leg

Jeté (juh-tay):  A jump from one foot to the other in which one leg appears to be "thrown" in the direction of movement (front, back or sideways).  There are several kids of jetés, such as petit jetés (small), or grand jetés (large)

"K":  A cheerleader formation where one arm is pointed up to the side (diagonally) and the other arm crosses the body and is pointed down to the same side (diagonally).  Can be performed to the right or left.

Lindy:  A movement accentuating a hop on the off beat that became popular in Jitterbug and Swing dancing (i.e. R step, ball change (L/R), step L leg back, step R leg)

Low Clasp:  A cheerleader position where the arms are straight down at the waist and the hands are cupped together

Low V:  A cheerleader position where the arms are placed down low in a "V" form

Low Touchdown:  A cheerleader position where the arms are extended straight down at the waist

Lunge:  A cheerleader position where one leg is placed in front (or to the side) of the other leg

Maxie Ford:  (shuffle, jump toe):  brush foot front/back (shuffle), jump on opposite foot, hitting toe back

Monkey:  A popular dance move from the 1960's where a dancer begins with legs in plié (knees bent), and moves arms up/down in opposite directions.

Paddle Step:  a turn where one leg remains still and the other pushes the body in a circle

Pas de bourrée (pah-deh-bur-ay):  A movement consisting of three quick steps (i.e. behind, side, front)

Passé (paw-SAY):  A ballet position or movement where the foot is placed near or on the other knee, or when the foot is placed at the knee and passes from front to back or back to front 

Pencil Turn:  A turn done by crossing one foot in front of the other and spinning in place

Piqué (pee-KAY):  "Pricked" or "pricking" - A ballet move executed by stepping directly onto pointe or demi-pointe of the working foot, with the other foot raised in the air

Plié (plee-ay):  “Bent” - Knee bends, done with the legs turned out.  Can be done with a small bend (demi plié) or a large bend (grande plié)

Pony:  A popular dance move from the 1960's that shifts weight from the right foot to the left foot (i.e. R step, ball change (L/R), L step, ball change (R/L).  One arm moves up when weight is placed on the opposite foot.

Port-de-bras (por-deh-brahs):  A ballet term meaning “carriage of the arms” where the dancer gracefully moves the arms into different positions.

Pirouette:  A controlled turn on one leg done in single or multiple rotations.

Piqué (pee-kay):  “Pricked” - A movement in which the pointed toe of the lifted, extended leg sharply lowers to hit the floor then immediately rebounds up. 

Relevé (rell-uh-vay):  “Raised” - A movement in which the heels are raised off the floor.

Roger Rabbit:  An 80’s style hip-hop move.  Starting with feet together, kick the R leg to the back (sliding back on the L foot).  Step on the R foot and repeat the kick with the L foot. 

Rond de jambe (rawn duh zhanb):   A ballet circular movement of the leg clockwise or counter-clockwise

Seconde, a la (ah-la-suc-GAWND):   "To the second" - A ballet term to imply that the foot is to be placed in second position, or that the movement is to be made in second position

Shuffle:  A forward brush of the foot followed by a back brush (done to front, side, or back).

Shuffle Hop Step:  A shuffle with a free foot, followed by a hop with the opposite foot, then a step with the free foot

Shuffle Step:  A shuffle with a free foot, followed by a step with the same foot

Sparkles:  A cheerleader hand movement where the fingers move but are kept straight and spread apart

"T":  A cheerleader position where the arms in fists are placed straight out to the sides of the body at shoulder level

Tendu (ton-doo):  “Stretched” - To point the toe

Touchdown:  A cheerleader position where the arms are extended straight above the head

Tuck Jump:  A cheerleader jump that involves tucking the knees into the hips while in the air.

Turnout:  An outward rotation of the hips and feet where the dancer stands with the heels together, and the toes pointed in opposite directions.