top of page

Ballet Brise


 Brise [ bree-ZAY ]. Broken, breaking. A small beating step in which the movement is broken. Brises are commenced on one or two feet and end on one or two feet. They are done dessus, dessous, en avant and en arriere. Fundamentally a brise is an assemble beaten and traveled. The working leg brushes from the fifth position to the second position so that the point of the foot is a few inches off the ground, and beats in front of or behind the other leg, which has come to meet it; then both feet return to the ground simultaneously in demi-plie in the fifth position.  Brise dessous [ bree-ZAY duh-SOO]. Brise under. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plie and slide the R foot with a sweeping movement a little farther back than the second position so that the point is a few inches off the ground. Spring upward and sideways off the L foot, throwing it toward the R and beating the calves together with the R leg in back. The landing is made in demi-plie in the fifth position R foot in front. Brise dessous can best be described as an assemble devant traveled to the side and beaten.  Brise dessus [ bree-ZAY duh-SEW]. Brise over. Fifth position R foot back. Demi-plie and slide the R foot with a sweeping movement a little farther forward than the second position so that the point is a few inches off the ground. Spring upward and sideways off the L foot, throwing it toward the R and beating the calves together with the R leg in the front. The landing is made in demi-plie in the fifth position R foot back. Brise dessus can best be described as an assemble derriere traveled to the side and beaten.  Brise dessus-dessous [ bree-ZAY duh-SEW-duh-SOO] . Brise over- under. In the Russian and French Schools, brise dessus is a brise forward that finishes on one leg; brise dessous is a brise backward that finishes on one leg. Same as brise vole en avant and brise vole en arriere.  Brise en arriere [ bree-ZAY ah na-RYEHR]. Brise backward. This brise is commenced with the back foot, which beats in the back and closes in the front. Brise en arriere can best be described as an assemble dessus traveled backward and beaten.  Brise en avant [ bree-ZAY ah na-VAHN ]. Brise forward. This brise is commenced with the front foot, which beats in the front and closes in the back. Brise en avant can best be described as an assemble dessous traveled forward and beaten. Brise en tournant [ bree-ZAY ahn toor-NAHEf]. Brise, turning. This is a series of four brises done with a quarter-turn on each brise. If the turn is made turning to the side of the front foot, the turn is en dedans; if the turn is made turning to the side of the rear foot, the turn is en dehors.
Jacklyn Dougherty

Brise [ bree-ZAY ]. Broken, breaking. A small beating step in which the movement is broken. Brises are commenced on one or two feet and end on one or two feet. They are done dessus, dessous, en avant and en arriere. Fundamentally a brise is an assemble beaten and traveled. The working leg brushes from the fifth position to the second position so that the point of the foot is a few inches off the ground, and beats in front of or behind the other leg, which has come to meet it; then both feet return to the ground simultaneously in demi-plie in the fifth position.


Brise dessous [ bree-ZAY duh-SOO]. Brise under. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plie and slide the R foot with a sweeping movement a little farther back than the second position so that the point is a few inches off the ground. Spring upward and sideways off the L foot, throwing it toward the R and beating the calves together with the R leg in back. The landing is made in demi-plie in the fifth position R foot in front. Brise dessous can best be described as an assemble devant traveled to the side and beaten.


Brise dessus [ bree-ZAY duh-SEW]. Brise over. Fifth position R foot back. Demi-plie and slide the R foot with a sweeping movement a little farther forward than the second position so that the point is a few inches off the ground. Spring upward and sideways off the L foot, throwing it toward the R and beating the calves together with the R leg in the front. The landing is made in demi-plie in the fifth position R foot back. Brise dessus can best be described as an assemble derriere traveled to the side and beaten.


Brise dessus-dessous [ bree-ZAY duh-SEW-duh-SOO] . Brise over- under. In the Russian and French Schools, brise dessus is a brise forward that finishes on one leg; brise dessous is a brise backward that finishes on one leg. Same as brise vole en avant and brise vole en arriere.


Brise en arriere [ bree-ZAY ah na-RYEHR]. Brise backward. This brise is commenced with the back foot, which beats in the back and closes in the front. Brise en arriere can best be described as an assemble dessus traveled backward and beaten.


Brise en avant [ bree-ZAY ah na-VAHN ]. Brise forward. This brise is commenced with the front foot, which beats in the front and closes in the back. Brise en avant can best be described as an assemble dessous traveled forward and beaten.

Brise en tournant [ bree-ZAY ahn toor-NAHEf]. Brise, turning. This is a series of four brises done with a quarter-turn on each brise. If the turn is made turning to the side of the front foot, the turn is en dedans; if the turn is made turning to the side of the rear foot, the turn is en dehors.


Brise telemaque [ bree-ZAY tay-lay-MAK ]. This is an enchainement of petite batterie of the French School composed by a dancer named Telemaque. It was originally done in 3/4 (mazurka) time, but another variation exists in 4/4 time. Many versions of brise telemaque exist today.


Brise telemaque in 3/4 (mazurka) time [ bree-ZAY tay-lay-MAK ]. Traveling diagonally to the right (toward corner 1; see illustration, p. 138), brise dessus R, changement battu (royale), entrechat trois derriere R; traveling straight back, brise en arriere R, changement battu (royale), entrechat trois derriere L. The enchainement is then repeated to the other side.


Brise telemaque in 4/4 time [ bree-ZAY tay-lay-MAK ]. Traveling diagonally forward toward corner 1, brise dessus R, two changements battus (royale), entrechat cinq derriere R; traveling straight back, brise en arriere R, two changements battus (royale), entrechat cinq derriere L. The enchainement is then repeated to the other side.


Brise vole [ bree-ZAY vaw-LAY]. Flying brise. In this brise the dancer finishes on one foot after the beat, the other leg crossed either front or back. The foundation of this step is a fouette movement with a jete battu. In the Russian and French Schools the raised leg finishes sur le cou-de-pied devant or derriere and the brise vole is done like a jete battu. In the Cecchetti method, the working foot passes through the first position to the fourth position, the calves are beaten together and on alighting the free leg is extended forward or back with a straight knee.


Brise vole en arriere [ bree-ZAY vaw-LAY ah na-RYEHR ]. Brise flying backward. A term of the Cecchetti method. After executing brise vole en avant, sweep the L foot backward through the first position to the fourth position back (efface) so that the pointed toe is raised a few inches off the floor. Spring upward and slightly backward, beating the calves together, R leg front. Land on the L foot in demi-plie with the R leg extended to the fourth position (croise) back, the R toe pointed about a foot off the floor.


Brise vole en avant [ bree-ZAY vaw-LAY ah na-VAHN ]. Brise flying forward. A term of the Cecchetti method. Fifth position croise, R foot back. Demi-plie and slide the R foot to the fourth position (efface) front so that the pointed toe is raised a few inches off the floor. Spring upward and slightly forward, beating the calves together, R leg front. Land on the R foot in demi- plie with the L leg extended to the fourth position (croise) front, the pointed L toe about a foot off the floor.



Check out our ballet glossary page at Jacklyn Dougherty.

Much Love

Jacklyn Dougherty and Dr. Joni Dougherty Ed.D

Violin and Piano School Florida.  Zoom, Online and In Person Orlando Florida
Be the first to know!

Thanks for subscribing!

Learn More

Click the name to learn more 

© Copyright Jacklyn Dougherty
bottom of page