If a dancer is told to go Under, which term is used?

If a dancer is told to go Under, which term is used?

• A. Dessus
• B. À la Seconde
• C. À la Quatrième derrière
• D. Dessous

Answer: (D)

In Cecchetti vocabulary, over and under are expressed with the French terms dessus and dessous. When a movement or position goes beneath something, we use dessous. The counterpart, dessus, means over. The other terms point to different positions or directions: à la Seconde refers to the second position, and à la Quatrième derrière indicates the fourth position behind. Dessus would be used for going over, not under. So for “Under,” the term is dessous.

In Cecchetti vocabulary, over and under are expressed with the French terms dessus and dessous. When a movement or position goes beneath something, we use dessous. The counterpart, dessus, means over. The other terms point to different positions or directions: à la Seconde refers to the second position, and à la Quatrième derrière indicates the fourth position behind. Dessus would be used for going over, not under. So for “Under,” the term is dessous.