During a Spring convention, a Dance Advantage reader and teacher observed a class in which her teenage students were dancing. During the class, the term saut de chat was used to describe a grand jeté developpé.
Though this vocabulary did not match her dictionary or training, our reader decided it was not a big deal. That is, until it started a debate that raised questions about her knowledge of terminology and remained a sticking point between she and one of her students. She asked me for clarification on the term saut de chat, as well as how to get this student to see the light.
Will the real saut de chat please leap up?
My favorite ballet dictionary is by Gail Grant
Grant calls this leap a pas de chat jeté, while another popular reference (Classical Ballet Technique
Here is Grant’s definition:
Saut de chat Cat’s jump. A term of the French School. This is similar to the Italien pas de chat. The working foot, instead of being raised to the side of the knee, is raised in raccourci derriere. After the jump in the air, during which both knees and feet are drawn up, the landing is made in fondu on the foot which was raised first, with the other foot in raccourci devant. The raised foot is then closed in demi-plie in the fifth position front. If the saut de chat is petit, the jump is small and the free foot is raised sur le cou-de-pied.
In defense of any teacher using saut de chat to describe a developpé leap
Saut de chat or something similar (grand saut de chat, for example) is a term that’s been used for this movement for probably decades. It’s not uncommon at all. However, according to most ballet dictionaries, this is not the “correct” term.
Why quotes around correct? Well, because ballet and dance terminology relies heavily on an oral passing-down of names for things. You’ll find multiple names for the same step in your favorite dictionary. Which of these is correct? It depends on time, place, and method of study.
I’m not necessarily saying that hundreds of people using the wrong term make it right. Just that, when terminology becomes deeply rooted, it’s not easily weeded out.
What to do with those argumentative students
1. Present several dictionaries, allow them to look up various definitions, and discover as a class how they differ.
There are many discrepancies in ballet terminology, so it may be fun to encourage them to find definitions of tour jeté for example, or a French name for the popular term “switch leap”. Make it fun – an exploration.
2. Point them to discussions online about this very thing.
Hey, this very article is a great start! Here are some forum discussions:
- jete par developpe – correct name?
- saut de chat and other terminology variations
- saut de chat
- grand pas de chat
3. Talk to them about other cases where location in time or place can change the language we use.
For instance, in the U.S., lines could be drawn across the map showing which regions use the term Soda vs. Pop or even just “Coke”.
And, how often do people today use thee or thou?
And, when did “text” become a verb?! As in, ‘to text’, ‘texting’, ‘I’m going to text you.
Play the game
It is a shame, but not uncommon, that students would eagerly accept a another teacher’s word as gospel, especially after being wowed or star-struck by a convention teacher.
However, if inappropriate or subversive behavior is a result, there may be underlying problems in the relationship with your students; a small part in a bigger problem that will need to be dealt with.
If possible, address terminology differences as soon as you become aware of them: soon after the observed class, or the first time you hear about the discrepancy. When you do address the issue, appeal to your students’ sense of adventure and help them make discoveries instead of lecturing. They’ll realize that there’s no ‘me and you’ or ‘us and them’.
We’re all playing the name game together, and no single source is 100% correct all the time.
What do YOU call the leap above?
Have you experienced a situation similar to our reader’s?
Tell us about it in the comments!
Nichelle Suzanne is a writer specializing in dance and online content. She is also a dance instructor with over 20 years experience teaching in dance studios, community programs, and colleges. She began Dance Advantage in 2008, equipped with a passion for movement education and an intuitive sense that a blog could bring dancers together. As a Houston-based dance writer, Nichelle covers dance performance for Dance Source Houston, Arts+Culture Texas, and other publications. She is a leader in social media within the dance community and has presented on blogging for dance organizations, including Dance/USA. Nichelle provides web consulting and writing services for dancers, dance schools and studios, and those beyond the dance world. Read Nichelle’s posts.
Wow! I’ve ALWAYS been taught that grand jeté was a brushing leap and that saut de chat was a leap beginning with a developpé! I never even thought about looking it up – I don’t think I was ever even taught a jump that resembled Gail Grant’s definition….such a fun bit of trivia for a Saturday morning.
I’d be curious to know what people have been taught about the terms tour jeté and grand jeté en tournant.
Another great article, Nichelle! Differences in terminology is a complex thing for a kid to understand. When I get new students whether in ballet, tap or jazz, I always begin with the warning “Teachers everywhere have different words for different steps, listen to what I say, watch what I do- you might know it by a different name, but you may be familiar with the step!”
Position retire , so many people call it passé
Passé is a verb an action word . Retire is a stationary position. Passé is not a position of the leg.
I recall a workshop where the teacher started out demonstrating a move and asked “what do you call this”, then proceeded to tell all the different names it went by and made a point of saying what ever the teacher you are taking from at the moment calls it is correct. Now, I call it “this”. Loved it!
I notice that when the dance team companies like Just for Kix and UDA, “name” something my students accept it as “gospel” until it changes again .. so we do this silly let’s do a calypso-firebird-back-attitude-singlestag leap for awhile till we all settle on a name that isn’t so long.
As a student I was super OCD about terminology. I got my first Gail Grant’s from Dover when I was like twelve and it became my bible. I noticed quickly that my own teachers, who taught under a Vaganova umbrella, were actually teaching a large number of Cecchetti terms and style points. I’ve made a point in my teaching to include alternate terms and make sure that my students understand that terminology is an evolving element and that they have the main translations and alternate terms to understand that and have respect for alternate terms. I felt kind of betrayed as a kid that I it was inferred that there was only one “right” and that’s what I was learning when neither was really accurate.
Fantastic article! For the record I always call that jump a saut de chat BUT I make sure to call it a grand jete developpe as well, for my beginners and especially my teens who are taking classes with different teachers and at different studios. I am not didactic in my terminology! Whenever possible I do refer to other names for steps (e.g. tour jete v. entrelace) so that my students know *I* am aware of the various terms. I agree with Juliette above: if a teacher insists on only one way of doing/saying something, then when a student discovers there are alternatives, the teacher may appear old-fashioned or strident rather than well-informed and knowledgeable.
It helps for students to know that ballet terms are not invented by individual teachers but come from ancient traditions that may occasionally clash with other cultures, and that have fascinating histories. (Like the royale which is said to have been invented especially for King Louis XIV who could not quite manage the speedy beat involved in an entrechat quatre.) Understanding this is as important as being aware of your own genealogy; you should know where you came from, but that knowledge should be empowering not enslaving.
Far too many students think that certain dance moves were invented by last season’s finalists on SYTYCD!
Gail Grant does a pretty good job of distinguishing between Cecchetti, French, and Russian terminology, but it can be hard to find what you’re looking for since her dictionary is organized alphabetically. So many students have no idea how to spell the French terms in the first place! And when you don’t know how a word is spelled, you often mangle the pronunciation as well, and you miss the connections between terms and phrases that are related or that build on each other.
So, learning the French terminology should be an integral part of a dancer’s education from a young age – just like folk dance, and mime. Many ballet steps come from other, even more ancient, dance forms, or from fencing; some derive from peasant dances, others from courtly dances… This is important stuff to know, because it helps inspire the movement. (Otherwise we could just be doing gymnastics.)
I will sometimes use an erasable marker to write the names of some of the steps we are dancing on one side of the mirror – which often intrigues students. Seeing how a term is spelled often segues into a discussion about the literal translation of a term (frappé means “strikeâ€), or which terms are actions vs. positions, or the variations on a step like pas de bourrée.
Just another way to engage the brain, which we know is the most important muscle in ballet!
Thanks ladies for the kind comments! I neglected to really dig into it in the post, but I’m glad that so many of you mentioned ways you prevent outbreaks of one-way-itis by actively and consistently arming students with knowledge and examples of terminology variations. This really is the best way to avoid conflict or doubts (or feelings of betrayal as Juliette mentioned) regarding vocabulary.
Carla, I love that little bit of trivia about royale. And students eat that stuff up, too. They’re more likely to remember the step, and sometimes the concepts and instructions that go with it, because of the story. Like writing terminology on the mirror, anecdotes are another tool teachers can use to address different “intelligences” or modes of learning.
By the way, I agree that Grant’s alphabetical dictionary is not always the best tool for those that don’t know what they’re looking for and I am wondering if you (or anyone) had a preferred reference for students.
LOVE this article!
I also felt sort of cheated when I got to college and realized that there was more than just Vaganova out there! I was totally flabbergasted to learn that the arm positions were so varied in the different schools of ballet.
The same terminology-debate also frequently pops up in my tap classes. (“But Miss so-and-so calls this a PULLback, not a DRAWback!”) Whenever I introduce a step that I’m aware of having more than one name (in ANY style class), I always give several examples of what it might be called by other teachers, and then tell my dancers what I personally prefer to call it. And I always, ALWAYS say “Just because two teachers use two different names for the same step doesn’t necessarily mean one is right and the other is wrong, they’re just different.” Introducing this idea to beginner level students eliminates the great vocab debate with those dancers once they become older.