brisé

brisé, (French: “broken step”), in classical ballet, a small, battu (“beaten”) step. The quality of a brisé should be sharp and brisk.

The basic brisé is a travelled assemblé that is done with a beat. The dancer brushes the working leg, as in an assemblé, to the side and into the air while simultaneously pushing off from the supporting leg, and then beats in front or in back of the supporting leg. The dancer lands on both feet, usually in fifth position demi-plié (feet crossed, knees bent). A basic brisé can be varied through differences of timing, travelling across the floor, and the position of the beat of the legs.