pas d’élévation

pas d’élévation, (French: “high steps”), all jumping and leaping movements in classical ballet. The steps are admired for the height at which they are performed and for the dancer’s ability to ascend without apparent effort and to land smoothly. Dancers famed for aerial maneuvers of this kind include Jean Balon, a French dancer of the late 17th century, and Vaslav Nijinsky, reportedly an early master of the entrechat-dix (jump with five leg crossings). Pas d’élévation include cabriole, entrechat, and jeté (qq.v.).