‖ plié Ballet.
(plie)
Also plier.
[Fr., f. plier to bend.]
A movement in which the dancer lowers the body, bending the knees outwards in line with the out-turned feet. Also as v. intr., to execute such a movement.
| 1892 E. Scott Dancing as Art & Pastime vi. 76 The foot passes from the fourth rearward position to the fourth in front with a very decided plié de genoux as it comes into the first position. Ibid. 77 A movement consisting of two pliés in advancing and three forward steps. 1913 C. d'Albert Dancing 125 Plié,..flexion or bending of one or both knees in preparation for any step. 1920 Dancing Times July 793 The Russians take the grands battements at the end of the side practice instead of immediately after the ‘plier’. 1922 Beaumont & Idzikowski Man. Classical Theatr. Dancing ii. i. 37 The plié, or bend, may be small (plié à quart)..medium (plié à demi or demi-plié)..or large (grand plié). 1930 Craske & Beaumont Theory & Pract. Allegro in Classical Ballet 16 An assemblé is said to be soutenu when the knees are straightened and another plié is made before executing the next pas. 1949 A. Chujoy Dance Encycl. 376/1 It is said that the entire technique of ballet consists in knowing when and how to do a plié. 1958 Observer 14 Sept. 14/7 Beautifully musical, he can turn a double tour en l'air into a deep plié en arabesque as trimly as if it were a phrase in a Mozart sonata. 1971 ‘D. Halliday’ Dolly & Doctor Bird xi. 146 Krishtof would raise me..while I stood up. He would then plié round me. 1977 New Yorker 19 Sept. 43/1 The marble-floored reception area alone, on the ground floor, is vast enough to accommodate the entire corps de ballet of four or five major ballet companies, all doing their pliés and entrechats. |