The study of jazz dance is indispensable for the understanding and practice of each movement. Below is some information about common jazz dance movements that I have compiled for your reference.
Corner & Side Directions
Directional positioning of corners and sides;
Demi-Plie
Bend the knees into a half squat: When bending the knees, the feet The legs can be balanced forward or turned outward (two positions).
Feet Positions
Feet positions: from one to five; the most commonly used ones are one and two.
Arabesque
Swallow balance: The weight of the body is supported by one leg. The supporting leg can be turned outward or not; the knee can be bent or straight. Fully extend the free leg and lift it as high as possible back into a balanced position.
Attitude
Bent-leg balance: The body weight is supported by one leg. The supporting leg can be turned outward or not; the knee can be bent or straight. Bend the knee of the free leg forward and raise it to the side or back (the free leg can be turned outward or not).
Battement
Swinging leg: Lock the knee joint of the swinging leg, swing upward from the hip joint and then swing back to the ground. The technical support leg can be bent or straight, and the foot can be stretched straight or bent. The straight-knee swing leg can be forward, in the second direction or backward.
Isolation
Independent action: Moving or protruding one part of the body independently.
Jazz Split
Jazz Split: Straighten the front leg, slide to the ground and turn and flex the back leg. It is customary to press the ground with your hands for cushioning.
Jazz Square
Jazz Square: Use four steps to create a square. Example: Cross your right foot in front of your left foot, step behind with your left foot, step sideways with your right foot into two positions, and step forward with your left foot.
Chasse / Sashay
Sliding step: one foot steps sideways, the other foot steps next to the first foot, and the first foot takes another step to the side. The action can also be done forward or backward.
Grande-Plie
Bend your knees into a deep squat: When doing this movement in positions 1, 4 and 5, keep your heels off the ground, and in position 2, keep your heels on the ground.
Hop
Hop: Take off and land on the same foot.
Lay-Out
In line with the central axis: The body parts directly connected to the spine (i.e. head, rib cage and pelvis) are placed in line with the spine. The movement can be forward, backward or sideways.
Outside Turn
Outside Turn: One-legged rotation action. If you turn right, your left foot is the supporting leg; if you turn left, your right foot is the supporting leg.
Parallel Position
Parallel posture: the extension lines of the two body parts are parallel. Take the feet and legs as an example. When standing with two legs apart, when both feet and knees point forward, they form a parallel posture.
Hitch Kick
Hitch Kick: A kick done in the air. Take off on one foot, bend the knee of the other leg and swing upward to pull the whole body upward. The jumping leg then kicks forward and upward quickly; when kicking out, straighten the foot and keep it straight.
Jazz Walk
Jazz Walk: Step with your knees half bent, keeping your feet balanced and forward. When doing this movement, the head and torso should be extended upward and away from the half-bent leg as much as possible.
Jete
Jump: A jumping action in which one foot is taken off, the other foot touches the ground first, and the center of gravity is transferred from one foot to the other. Legs spread apart. Jumps can be done forward, backward or sideways. The legs at the rear can be even more flexed.
Jump
Jump: Take off with both feet and land on both feet.
Pass?
Single-leg knee lift: Lift the knee along the inner edge of the supporting leg with the movable leg until the straight toes are on the inside of the knee of the supporting leg.
Percussive
Describes strong and rapid movements.
Pirouette
Single-leg rotation: Rotate on one foot in place. The moving leg usually bends the knee and the straight toes are placed on the inside of the knee of the supporting leg.
Plie
Meaning of flexion: In French, any flexion movement in the body is also called pli?. In dance, it often refers to the movement of bending the knees.
Plie-Releve Position
Bent knees and heel raises: an important position in jazz dance. Bend your knees and lift your heels off the ground. Control of the movement should come from the thigh muscles.
Release
Release: Relax a tense part of the body, or stretch a particular part of the body.
Releve
Heel lift or heel lift: The knee can be bent or straightened.
Rond De Jambe
Semicircular leg swing: With the movable leg completely straight, the toes touch the ground lightly in front, draw a semicircle along the ground and move it to the back, or move it from the back to the front. Leg swing.
Seat Spin
Seat Spin: Use the hips as the fulcrum and axis to rotate when sitting. Often push the ground by hand to start.
Spiral
Spiral: The body trunk makes a spiral twist.
Split
One-character horse/split: the action of sitting on the ground with your legs spread front and back or left and right.
Sustained
Continuation of the same action: Make an action longer to give the action a feeling of continuation.
Tabletop Position
Desktop position: Bend the upper body forward from the hip joint, and pull the head, neck and entire back into a straight line. The knees can be bent or straight, but it is more difficult to perform a tabletop posture when the knees are bent.
Tendu
(wipe the floor) into pointe point: the soles of the feet rub the floor and push out, the insteps arch outward, the heels are raised as high as possible, but the toes are still on the ground. This action can be performed in all directions.
Three-Step Turn (side)
Three-Step Turn: Use three steps (left-right-left or right-left-right) to complete a 360 turn.
Hitch Kick
Hitch Kick: A kick done in the air. Take off on one foot, bend the knee of the other leg and swing upward to pull the whole body upward. The jumping leg then kicks forward and upward quickly; when kicking out, straighten the foot and keep it straight.
Jazz Walk
Jazz Walk: Step with your knees half bent, keeping your feet balanced and forward. When doing this movement, the head and torso should be extended upward and away from the half-bent leg as much as possible.
V-Position Sit
V-shaped sitting posture: Sit on your buttocks, tighten your abdominal muscles and front thigh muscles, and lift your legs off the ground. Put your legs together and raise your arms upwards in a V shape. Back straight and torso aligned forward.