Which term is used to describe a turn on one leg, where the working leg whips around to pass through passé and extend?

• A. Fouette
• B. Attitude
• C. Epaulement
• D. Arabesque

Answer: (A)

This item tests the vocabulary for a turn on one leg that uses a whipping action of the working leg as it circles around the body, passing through passé and then extending. That rapid whipping around of the leg, moving through passé on the way, is the defining feature of a fouetté turn. It’s the common technique ballet uses to generate momentum in a turn on one leg, with the leg snapping around and then extending to continue or complete the turn.

Attitude describes a posed position with the leg in an attitude shape, not a turning action. Arabesque is an extended line behind the body, also not a turn. Epaulement refers to the subtle placement and rotation of the shoulders and torso, not the mechanics of turning. So the description of a whipping leg passing through passé and extending fits a fouetté turn.