battement

[ bat-muhnt; French batuh-mahn ]

noun

, Ballet.

, plural batte·ments [bat, -m, uh, nts, b, a, t, uh, -, mahn].

1. a movement in which the dancer lifts one leg to the front, side, or back, and returns it to the supporting leg.

battement

/ batmɑ̃ /

noun

1. ballet extension of one leg forwards, sideways, or backwards, either once or repeatedly

Word History and Origins

Origin of battement¹

1820–30; < French, equivalent to batt ( re ) to beat ( bate ² ) + -ment -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of battement¹

C19: French, literally: beating

Example Sentences

In the prepandemic staging, Hemings would dance around Jefferson flirtatiously, performing a battement; in the new version, she still kicks her leg, but she faces away from him, arms forming a cradle as if to remind viewers of the children she bore him.

From New York Times

When Violet topples over while stretching her leg high in a grand battement, Weary tells her, “It is better to try our hardest and fall down than to not try at all.”

From New York Times

During the 90-minute class, instructor Jessica Jaye Mackinson taught us to chassé, sauté, ronde de jambe and grand battement, a fancy French word for a three-sided kick.

From Washington Post

When we layered in battement to extend a leg parallel to the floor, my glutes protested even more.

From Seattle Times

We added more, including battement, or lifting a foot off the floor, toes pointed and still turned out.

From Seattle Times