Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How is an entrechat performed from fifth position?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
ballet
La Camargo Dancing, oil painting of Marie-Anne Camargo by Nicolas Lancret, 1730; in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Nantes, France.
An entrechat is a vertical jump in ballet that begins from the fifth position. During the jump, the dancer crosses their straight legs at the lower calf one or more times in midair.12
The specific execution depends on the type of entrechat being performed:
- Leg Crossings: The number of crossings is indicated by the name of the step (e.g., an entrechat-quatre involves two crossings).1
- Landing: The dancer lands on both feet for even-numbered entrechats and on one foot for odd-numbered ones.1
In the fifth position, the feet are turned out and pressed closely together, with the heel of one foot placed against the toe or the joint of the big toe of the other. From this starting point, the dancer springs into the air to perform the rapid leg movements before returning to the floor.321