Insight: Ballet glossary - grand battement

Romany Pajdak, Royal Ballet First Artist, demonstrates grand battement.

Batterie/Battement: Movements in which the legs and feet 'beat' together quickly, usually as part of a jump. The may be performed as part of a jetés, entrechats trois, quatre, cinq, changements, grand jeté, etc. The difference between grande batterie and petite batterie [ lit. 'big' and 'small' batterie] depends upon the amount of elevation the dancer needs to jump to perform the 'beating'.
i) Petits battements / battements tendus: extensions of the leg in which the working foot does not leave the ground, used to practise stretching the foot to a fully pointed position
ii) Grands battements: high extensions of the whole leg, which is raised into the air and brought down again while keeping the rest of the body still.

[aspirehigher]

Doing it in a swimming pool helps me do it better. The resistance improves your muscle strength.

[laylanahar]

I love watching her. I have studied the one where she does the various positions - I really like her precision.

[gigiaciccia]

non ci credo!!!! Il “grande battement” iniziale ha già dato una svolta positiva alla mia giornata!!!!

[ConstanzaRigazio]

Every time my teacher said Battement I thought he was saying Batman.

[natalierevelo]

Busqué que era *grand battement* por el libro "La bailarina de Auswitch" esa Edith Eger es toda una esto se ve súper preciso y fuerte

[MeriDee]

OMG She's soooo fabulous! A great dancer!

[lovinavargas-carriedo]

Damn. I know this is your job and profession but everytjing about thisbwas so 😮😃😃😃😃😃 its really cool to watch! I havent been around Ballet in terms of well....terms in overba decade so thank you gor creating this really comprehensive dictionary of what the moves are called! Im still just so impressed by how smooth your movements are!

[maiajuliao-mahcia.]

Sempre muito legal rever movimentos executados na barra! Logo adquirir, força, leveza e equilíbrios para faze-los no centro...

[lilifordham]

wow i find it really hard to keep my leg straight when i do them !! wow well done :)

[luticia]

Holy shit, I haven't knows that ballet has sooo many different kinds of movements.

[bettinabarry]

The student sacrifices the placement and mechanics of the grand betterment for the height of the leg.

[Pricklypear]

Her leg in the arabesque is bent other than that it looks good :)

[Rafaelaapril]

Doing this without the barre is much more difficult. I look like a Kung Fu Fighter!

[DaniKreator]

We did this in class today and I am SO sore 😂😭

[Pecut]

actually... when she does the battement to the side, her leg is not completely stretched!! the knee is a little bit bent! i see it and i am not an expert

[wspitswinston]

how the fuck does she do it with amazing technique like no corrections, seriously

[summerbaer]

It's a lot easier than some things!

[Ouroboroscertified]

hey everyone,
has someone got any tips to hold your leg in the air, at more than 90 degree angle?
thank u

[aimsical]

Uh, wow? We definitely didn't do that fancy of battements in Jazz!

[ALDBALLERINA]

There are at least 80 different steps, and they're all in French!