Sissonne Ballet

Jacklyn Dougherty

Sissonne battue [see-SAWN ba-TEW]. Sissonne beaten. Sissonne simple, ouverte and fermee can be beaten.

Sissonne changee en arriere [see-SAWN shahn-ZHAY ah na- RYEHR]. Sissonne changed, backward. This is a term of the Cecchetti method. Fifth position R foot back. Demi-plie and spring upward and backward into the air; come to the ground on the L foot in demi-plie with the R leg in the

ourth position front in the air. As soon as the L foot comes to the ground, close the R foot to the fifth position front in demi-plie.

Sissonne doublee [ see-SAWN doo-BLAY ]. Sissonne doubled. A term of the French School. This is a compound step consisting of a sissonne ouverte de cote, a coupe and an assemble. The step may be done either dessus or dessous. According to the coupe and assemble used, sissonne doublee if done in a series can be made to travel in one direction or to alternate sides. Also called “sissonne retombee” (Cecchetti method).

Sissonne doublee battue [ see-SAWN doo-BLAY ba-TEW ]. Sissonne doubled, beaten. This compound step consists of a sissonne ouverte de cote with the beat of an entrechat trois, cinq or sept, finished with the leg in the second position en Fair; a coupe dessus or dessous; and an assemble battu either dessus or dessous. See Sissonne doublee.

Sissonne doublee dessous [ see-SAWN doo-BLAY duh-SOO ]. Sissonne doubled, under. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plie and spring into the air, executing a sissonne ouverte de cote. The R leg then executes a coupe dessous, followed by an assemble dessous with the L leg.

Sissonne doublee dessus [ see-SAWN doo-BLAY duh-SEW]. Sissonne doubled, over. This is the reverse of the sissonne doublee dessous and consists of a sissonne ouverte de cote executed with the back foot, followed by a coupe dessus and an assemble dessus.

Sissonne en arabesque sur la pointe (Russian School) [see-SAWN ah na-ra-BESK sewr lapwent]. Same as releve en arabesque.

Sissonne en descendant [see-SAWN ahn day-sahn-DAHN ]. Sissonne coming down. A term of the French School. Same as sissonne fermee en avant.

Sissonne en remontant [ see-SAWN ahn ruh-mawn-TAHN ]. Sissonne going up. A term of the French School. Same as sissonne fermee en arriere.

Sissonne fermee battue [see-SAWN fehr-MAY ba-TEW]. Sissonne closed and beaten. This step can be taken en avant or en arriere. It consists of

A sissonne fermee with the beat of an entrechat quatre and is also known as “entrechat cinq ramasse.” When executed de cote it is performed with a royale.

Sissonne fermee battue en arriere [see-SAWN fehr-MAY ba-TEW ah na-RYEHR ]. Sissonne closed and beaten, backward. Fifth position R foot back. Demi-plie and spring upward and backward into the air, beating the L leg behind the R leg and then opening the L leg to the fourth position devant low to the floor. Land in demi-plie on the R foot and immediately close the L foot in demi-plie in the fifth position front. This sissonne may be done en arriere, croise en arriere or efface en arriere.

Sissonne fermee battue en avant [see-SAWN fehr-MAY ba-TEW ah na-VAHN ]. Sissonne closed and beaten, forward. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plie and spring upward and forward into the air, beating the L leg in front of the R leg and then opening the L leg to the fourth position derriere low to the floor. Land in demi-plie on the R foot and immediately close the L foot in demi-plie in the fifth position back. This sissonne may be done en avant, croise en avant or efface en avant.

Sissonne fermee de cote [see-SAWN fehr-MAY duh koh-TAY ]. Sissonne closed, traveled to the side. This sissonne is performed dessus, dessous or without change of feet.

Sissonne fermee dessous [see-SAWN fehr-MAY duh-SOO ]. Sissonne closed, under. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plie and spring into the air, traveling to the left and opening the R foot to the second position low to the floor. Come to the ground on the L foot in demi-plie and glide the R toe along the floor to finish in demi-plie in the fifth position back.

Sissonne fermee dessus [see-SAWN fehr-MAY duh-SEW]. Sissonne closed, over. Fifth position R foot back. Demi-plie and spring into the air, traveling to the left and opening the R foot to the second position low to the floor. Come to the ground on the L foot in demi-plie and immediately glide the R toe along the floor to finish in demi-plie in the fifth position front.

Sissonne ouverte de cote [ see-SAWN oo-VEHRT duh koh-TAY ]. Sissonne opened sideways. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plie, spring upward and sideways (left) into the air, opening the R leg to the second position en Fair either a la hauteur or a la demi -hauteur. Come to the ground on the L foot in demi-plie, holding the R leg in the air. May also be executed with the R foot back.

Sissonne ouverte en avant [ see-SAWN oo-VEHRT ah na-VAHN ]. Sissonne opened forward. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plie, spring upward and forward into the air, opening the L leg a la quatrieme derriere, either a la hauteur or a la demi-hauteur. Come to the ground on the R foot in demi-plie, holding the L leg in the air. May be executed en avant, croise en avant or efface en avant.

Sissonne ouverte en developpe [see-SAWN oo-VEHRT ahn dayv- law-PAY\. Sissonne opened in developpe. This is done the same way as sissonne ouverte, but instead of opening the leg with a straight knee, the leg is opened in developpe. May be done en avant, en arriere, de cote and en tournant.

Sissonne ouverte en tournant [ see-SAWN oo-VEHRT ahn toor- NAHN]. Open sissonne, turning. Fifth position croisee R foot front. Demi-plie, spring into the air, turning en dehors or en dedans; come to the ground in fondu on the L foot, opening the R leg with or without a developpe to the desired pose at 45 or 90 degrees.

Sissonne ouverte sur la pointe (Russian School) [ see-SAWN oo- VEHRT sewr lah pwent]. Open sissonne on the point. This is a releve on the point and may be done petite or grande.

Petite sissonne ouverte sur la pointe: Fifth position R foot front. Demi- plie and spring on the point of the L foot, opening the R leg through sur le cou- de-pied (devant or derriere) to the second position at 45 degrees. Come down in demi-plie in the fifth position on both legs at the same time. The working leg may also be opened croise, efface or ecarte, either devant or derriere.

Grande sissonne ouverte sur la pointe: This is done in the same manner, opening the working leg to second position at 90 degrees by means of a developpe. The working leg may also be opened croise, efface or ecarte, either devant or derriere. This grande sissonne is also performed in attitude croisee, attitude effacee and first, second, third and fourth arabesque, raising the working leg to 90 degrees by means of a battement.

Sissonne simple battue [ see-SAWN SEN-pluh ba-TEW]. Simple sissonne beaten. When sissonne simple is done with a beat it changes its name and is called “entrechat trois” or “entrechat cinq” according to the number of times the feet are changed or beaten in the air.

Sissonne simple derriere [see-SAWN SEN-pluh deh-RYEHR], Simple sissonne in back. Fifth position R foot back. Demi-plie, spring upward into the air with knees and toes extended. Come to the ground in demi-plie on the L foot with the R foot sur le cou-de-pied derriere.

Sissonne simple detournee [see-SAWN SEN-pluh day-toor-NAY ]. Simple sissonne turned aside. This is a sissonne simple en tournant turning in the direction of the back foot. Fifth position R foot back; demi-plie; spring into the air, making a complete turn to the right (en dehors). Land in demi-plie on the L foot with the R foot sur le cou-de-pied derriere or devant.

Sissonne simple devant [see-SAWN SEN-pluh duh-VAHN ]. Simple sissonne in front. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plie, spring upward into the air with knees and toes extended. Come to the ground in demi-plie on the L foot with the R foot sur le cou-de-pied devant.

Sissonne simple sur la pointe (Russian School) [see-SAWN SEN- pluh sewr lah pwent]. Simple sissonne on the point. This is a releve on the point of one foot with the working foot raised sur le cou-de-pied or retire. For the execution of this step devant, see Releve devant. For derriere, see Releve derriere. For passee en avant, seeReleve passe en avant. For passee en arriere, see Releve passe en arriere.

Sissonne soubresaut [see-SAWN soo-bruh-SOH ]. Sissonne with a sudden jump or jerk. A term of the Russian School. Same as temps de poisson.

Sissonne sur la pointe (Russian School) [see-SAWN sewr lah pwent]. Sissonne on the point. In the Russian School the term sissonne, when done on point, is used like the Cecchetti method term “releve.” It is a spring from demi-plie onto point from both feet to one foot. See Sissonne ouverte sur la pointe; Sissonne simple sur la pointe.

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