What does “Cou-de-pied” mean in ballet?
( ; 'neck of the foot.') Position of the arched working foot raised to, and resting on, the ankle. This could be in front (["conditional"] devant ), behind ( derrière ), or wrapped ( sur le cou-de-pied : arch of the foot wrapped around the ankle with the heel in front of the ankle and the toes behind, often interchangeable with the devant/conditional position), depending on the activity and the school/method of ballet.
New to ballet? Read our ballet guide — history, the five positions, class structure and how adults can start.
Definition adapted from Glossary of ballet on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearby terms
Cloche, en
( ; meaning 'like a bell.') Refers to brushing through first position from fourth devant o…
Coda
; literally 'tail'). The concluding segment of a performance or suite of dances comprising…
Corps de ballet
The ensemble of a ballet company, especially the ensemble apart from the featured dancers.…
Coryphée
In some systems, a dancer of higher rank than a member of the corps de ballet, performing …
Coupé
( ; meaning 'cut.') Coupé is both a step and action. It is commonly executed from cou-de-p…
Couru
( ; 'run,' past participle, as in 'making small quick steps.') In most cases, this holds t…
Croisé, croisée
( ; meaning 'crossed.') One of the positions of the body or épaulement . Facing one of the…
Croix, en
( ; meaning 'in the shape of a cross.') Term often used during barre exercises to indicate…