Ballet Dictionary: Croisé
Photo by Mark Sumaylo • Text by Abigail Oliveiro
Step: Croise
How: The term means crossed. This term is used to describe the direction of the body using the legs as reference. Croisé can be done in 4th position, 5th position or with a working leg in devant (front) or derrière (back). The direction that Croisé always faces is the corner. Here, the dancer is demonstrating a 4th position in Croisé. Her legs appear crossed from the audience as the leg closer to the audience is crossed over her other leg. The way a teacher would instruct this position for example, is to say: Échappé 4th in Croisé (This informs the dancer that the position is to be done in 4th position, in a crossed alignment), right foot in front (This then lets the dancer know to face the left corner as this would create the crossed alignment with the right foot in front).
Dancer: Nanami Hasegawa, Company Artist, Ballet Manila
Location: Ballet Manila Studio 3
