Summary of common jazz dance movements and techniques
The study of jazz dance is not without understanding and practicing each movement, I have organized most of the common jazz dance terminology and action points, I hope to help you
Arabesque
Swallow Balance: The body is supported by one leg; the supporting leg may be turned outward or not; the knee may be bent or straight. The body weight is supported by one leg, which may or may not be turned outward; the knee may be bent or straight. The free leg is fully extended and lifted back as high as possible to a balanced position.
Attitude
Bent Leg Balance: Body weight is supported by one leg, supporting leg may or may not be turned outward; knee may or may not be bent. The free leg is bent forward, sideways or backward (the free leg may or may not be turned outward).
Battement
Swinging Leg: The knee of the swinging leg is locked, and the leg is swung upward from the hip and then swung back to the ground. The leg can be bent or straight, and the foot can be tensed or flexed. The straight-knee leg can be swung forward, in the direction of the second position, or backward.
Chasse / Sashay
Sliding Step: One foot steps sideways, the other foot steps next to the first foot, and the first foot steps to the side. The movement can also be done forward or backward.
Corner & Side Directions
Corner & Side Directions;
Demi-Plie
Bent Knee Semi-Squat: The foot and leg can be balanced forward or outward when the knee is bent. double position).
Feet Positions
Feet Positions: from one to five; more commonly one and two.
Grande-Plie
Bend the knees into a deep squat: do this with the heels off the ground in positions one, four and five, and keep the heels on the ground in position two.
Hop
Hop on one foot: jump and land on the same foot.
Hitch Kick
Hitch Kick: A kick done in the air. The other leg is bent at the knee and swung upwards to pull the whole body upwards, the jumping leg then quickly kicks forward and upwards; the foot is straight and the foot is taut when the kick is thrown.
Isolation
Independent movement: moving or protruding one part of the body independently.
Jazz Split
Jazz Split: Straightening the front leg and sliding it to the floor while the back leg is turned out and flexed. Usually cushioned with hands on the ground.
Jazz Square
Jazz Square: Walk in a square shape with all four feet. Example: right foot crosses in front of left foot, left foot steps back, right foot steps sideways in two places, left foot steps forward.
Jazz Walk
Jazz Walk: Step in a semi-bent knee position with the foot balanced forward. The head and torso should be extended upward and pulled away from the semi-bent leg as much as possible.
Jete
Leap: A single-footed jump in which the other foot lands first and the weight shifts from one foot to the other. Stance. The jump can be done forward, backward or to the side. The leg at the back can be more flexed.
Jump
Jump: a two-footed jump with both feet on the ground.
Lay-Out
Lay-Out in line with the center axis: the parts of the body directly connected to the spine (i.e., the head, the ribcage, and the discs) are laid out in a straight line with the spine. The movement can be forward, backward or sideways.
Outside Turn
Outside Turn: A single-footed rotational movement. If turning right, the left foot is the supporting leg; if turning left, the right foot is the supporting leg.
Parallel Position
Parallel Position: The extension lines of two body parts are parallel. In the case of the feet and legs, for example, when the feet and knees are pointing forward in a split-leg stance, this constitutes a parallel stance.
Pass?
One-Legged Knee Lift: A stance in which the active leg lifts the knee along the inside edge of the supporting leg until the straightened toes are on the inside of the knee of the supporting leg.
Percussive
Describes a strong and rapid movement.
Pirouette
Unipedal rotation: a one-legged rotation in place, with the active leg generally bent at the knee and the toe of the foot straight on the inside of the knee of the supporting leg.
Plie
Plié: In French, any flexion in the body is also called plié. In dance, it often refers to the bending of the knees.
Plie-Releve Position
Bent Knee Heel Raise: An important position in jazz dance. The knee is bent and the heel is raised off the ground. Control of the movement should come from the thigh muscles.
Release
Release: To relax an otherwise tense part of the body, or to stretch a particular part of the body.
Releve
Heel Raise or Heel Lift: The knee can be flexed or straightened.
Rond De Jambe
Semi-circle swing: a swing in which the active leg is completely straight and the toes touch the ground in front of it, and move in a semi-circle along the ground to the back, or from the back to the front.
Seat Spin
Seat Spin: When sitting, use the hips as the pivot point and axis to make a spin. It is often initiated by pushing the ground with the hands.
Spiral
Spiral: A spiral twist of the torso.
Split
One Pony/Split Eight: sitting on the floor with the legs split back and forth or side to side.
Sustained
Continuation within the same movement: lengthening a movement to give it a sense of continuity.
Tabletop Position
Tabletop Position: Bend the upper body from the hips forward, and pull the head, neck, and back into a straight line. The knees can be bent or straight, but it is more difficult to do the tabletop position when the knees are bent.
Tendu
(Wipe the ground) into a toe point: the soles of the feet wipe the ground and push out, the instep arches outward, and the heel raises as much as possible, but the toes are still on the ground. This movement can be performed in all directions.
Three-Step Turn (side)
Three-Step Turn: A 360 turn in three steps (left-right-left or right-left-right).
Torso Twist
Torso Twist: The pelvis stays oriented in one direction while the upper body, including the chest, shoulders, and head, turn in the other direction.
Two-Step Turn
Two-Step Turn: A 360 turn performed in two steps (left-right or right-left).
Turned In
Turned In: The foot, knee and hip are turned inward into an inward turn. In foot?
Turned Out
Turned Out
Turned Out ("open position"): the foot, knee, and hip are turned outward so that the toes are pointed at an angle. (Those who are able to turn outward extremely can line up their feet in a straight line.)