Pique Ballet
- Jacklyn Dougherty
- Mar 6, 2023
- 3 min read
![Pique [pee-KAY]. Pricked. Dancer’s stepping directly on the point or demi-pointe of the working foot in any desired ballet direction or ballet position with the other foot raised in the air. Pique a terre [ pee-KAY a tehr ]. Pique on the ground. This is a term of the French School to denote a position of the foot in the second or fourth position with the heel raised and only the tip of the toes touching the ground, the weight of the body being supported on the other foot. Pique a terre is done devant, derriere or en seconde. Same as pointe tendue. Pique ballonne [ pee-KAY ba-law-NAY ]. Bouncing pique. Stand on the R foot with the L foot sur le cou-de-pied derriere; pique on the L point behind the R, extending the R foot to the second position at 45 degrees. Demi-plie on the L foot and cut the R foot behind the L calf. Repeat on alternate feet. Pique detourne [ pee-KAY day-toor-NAY ]. Pique turned aside. Fifth position, R foot back. Demi-plie and degage the R foot to the second position at 45 degrees and step on the R point or demi-pointe; immediately step on the L point or demi-pointe crossed behind in the fifth position and pivot toward the back foot. The turn finishes with the L foot in the fifth position front. Pique en arabesque [ pee-KAY ah na-ra-BESK ]. Pique in arabesque. Fifth position working foot front. Demi-plie and degage the working leg a la demi -hauteur and step forward directly onto the point of the working foot, raising the other leg in an arabesque position. Pique en arriere [ pee-KAY ah na-RYEHR]. Pique backward. Fifth position R foot back. Demi-plie and raise the R foot en raccourci derriere, or degage the R foot a la quatrieme derriere demi-hauteur. Step directly onto the point or demi-pointe of the R foot with the L foot sur le cou-de-pied or en raccourci devant. Pique en avant [ pee-KAY ah na-VAHN ]. Pique forward. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plie and raise the R foot en raccourci devant or degage the R foot a la quatrieme devant, demi-hauteur. Step directly onto the point or demi-pointe of the R foot with the L foot sur le cou-de-pied or en raccourci derriere. Pique enveloppe [ pee-KAY ahn-vuh-law-PAY]. Pique enveloped. A term of the French School. See Pique tour en dehors; Tour degage. Piquer la pointe [ pee-KAY lahpwent]. To prod the toe. The working foot performs a battement degage to the second or fourth position, then strikes the floor lightly with the pointed toes. SheBattement pique, petit; Battement tendu jete pointe. Pique sur la pointe [ pee-KAY sewr la pwent]. See Pique. Pique tour [ pee-KAY toor ]. Pique, turning. This is a pirouette in which the dancer steps directly onto the point or demi-pointe with the raised leg sur le cou-de-pied devant or derriere, in attitude, arabesque or any given position. This turn is executed either en dedans or en dehors (see following entries). Pique tour en dedans [pee-KAY toor ahn duh-DAHN] . Pique turning inward. Fifth position croise R foot front; demi-plie and degage the R leg to the second position en Pair, demi-hauteur. Step onto the point or demi-pointe of the R foot, turning en dedans to the right with the L foot placed en raccourci derriere or sur le cou-de-pied derriere. After completing the turn, fall on the L foot in demi-plie (coupe dessous) with the R leg sur le cou-de-pied devant or extended in the fourth position en Pair, demi-hauteur. During the turn the L foot may be placed in front of the R leg instead of at the back. The turn may be single or double and may be done in a series traveling diagonally or in a circle. The head “spots.” Pique tour en dehors [pee-KAY toor ahn duh-AWR]. Pique turning outward. Fifth position R foot front; demi-plie and degage the L leg to the second position en Pair, demi-hauteur. Bring the L leg in front of the R leg and step directly onto the point or demi-pointe of the L foot, turning en dehors to the right with the R foot placed en raccourci devant or sur le cou-de-pied devant. After completing the turn, fall on the R foot in demi-plie (tombe) with the L leg extended in the second position en Pair, demi-hauteur. The movement is then continued to the same side. The turns may be single or double and the head “spots.” Jacklyn Dougherty](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/761138_fd1d48c5593e4e9786cfa3e82fd51cd9~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_1742,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/761138_fd1d48c5593e4e9786cfa3e82fd51cd9~mv2.png)
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Pique [pee-KAY]. Pricked. Dancer’s stepping directly on the point or demi-pointe of the working foot in any desired ballet direction or ballet position with the other foot raised in the air.
Pique a terre [ pee-KAY a tehr ]. Pique on the ground. This is a term of the French School to denote a position of the foot in the second or fourth position with the heel raised and only the tip of the toes touching the ground, the weight of the body being supported on the other foot. Pique a terre is done devant, derriere or en seconde. Same as pointe tendue.
Pique ballonne [ pee-KAY ba-law-NAY ]. Bouncing pique. Stand on the R foot with the L foot sur le cou-de-pied derriere; pique on the L point behind the R, extending the R foot to the second position at 45 degrees. Demi-plie on the L foot and cut the R foot behind the L calf. Repeat on alternate feet.
Pique detourne [ pee-KAY day-toor-NAY ]. Pique turned aside. Fifth position, R foot back. Demi-plie and degage the R foot to the second position at 45 degrees and step on the R point or demi-pointe; immediately step on the L point or demi-pointe crossed behind in the fifth position and pivot toward the back foot. The turn finishes with the L foot in the fifth position front.
Pique en arabesque [ pee-KAY ah na-ra-BESK ]. Pique in arabesque. Fifth position working foot front. Demi-plie and degage the working leg a la demi -hauteur and step forward directly onto the point of the working foot, raising the other leg in an arabesque position.
Pique en arriere [ pee-KAY ah na-RYEHR]. Pique backward. Fifth position R foot back. Demi-plie and raise the R foot en raccourci derriere, or degage the R foot a la quatrieme derriere demi-hauteur. Step directly onto the point or demi-pointe of the R foot with the L foot sur le cou-de-pied or en raccourci devant.
Pique en avant [ pee-KAY ah na-VAHN ]. Pique forward. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plie and raise the R foot en raccourci devant or degage the R foot a la quatrieme devant, demi-hauteur. Step directly onto the point or demi-pointe of the R foot with the L foot sur le cou-de-pied or en raccourci derriere.
Pique enveloppe [ pee-KAY ahn-vuh-law-PAY]. Pique enveloped. A term of the French School. See Pique tour en dehors; Tour degage.
Piquer la pointe [ pee-KAY lahpwent]. To prod the toe. The working foot performs a battement degage to the second or fourth position, then strikes the floor lightly with the pointed toes. SheBattement pique, petit; Battement tendu jete pointe.
Pique sur la pointe [ pee-KAY sewr la pwent]. See Pique.
Pique tour [ pee-KAY toor ]. Pique, turning. This is a pirouette in which the dancer steps directly onto the point or demi-pointe with the raised leg sur le cou-de-pied devant or derriere, in attitude, arabesque or any given position. This turn is executed either en dedans or en dehors (see following entries).
Pique tour en dedans [pee-KAY toor ahn duh-DAHN] . Pique turning inward. Fifth position croise R foot front; demi-plie and degage the R leg to the second position en Pair, demi-hauteur. Step onto the point or demi-pointe of the R foot, turning en dedans to the right with the L foot placed en raccourci derriere or sur le cou-de-pied derriere. After completing the turn, fall on the L foot in demi-plie (coupe dessous) with the R leg sur le cou-de-pied devant or extended in the fourth position en Pair, demi-hauteur. During the turn the L foot may be placed in front of the R leg instead of at the back. The turn may be single or double and may be done in a series traveling diagonally or in a circle. The head “spots.”
Pique tour en dehors [pee-KAY toor ahn duh-AWR]. Pique turning outward. Fifth position R foot front; demi-plie and degage the L leg to the second position en Pair, demi-hauteur. Bring the L leg in front of the R leg and step directly onto the point or demi-pointe of the L foot, turning en dehors to the right with the R foot placed en raccourci devant or sur le cou-de-pied devant. After completing the turn, fall on the R foot in demi-plie (tombe) with the L leg extended in the second position en Pair, demi-hauteur. The movement is then continued to the same side. The turns may be single or double and the head “spots.”
