The term jeté in french means thrown and therefore a petit jeté involves throwing the working leg landing onto it in a fondu with the supporting leg coming to a cou de pied derrière position. There are a number of ways this step can be performed but it is most common for this step to be performed continuously right and left, followed by a ton levé or after a glissade derrière. This step can be performed turning (en tournent), moving forwards (en avant), with the back leg coming to the front (over) and with the front leg going to the back (under.) Because of the quick nature of this step it often falls prey to errors. The back leg can over cross as the foot fails to hit the cou de pied derrière position. Dancers can also land with the thighs rolling in instead of rotating from the hips. The posture also tends to curve instead of lengthening the lumbar spine and as the dancer concentrates to perfect this step the gaze can turn to the floor instead of lifting the chin and opening the chest.
Below I will describe how to perform this step in more detail;
1. Standing in fifth position left foot in front* arms in bras bas
2. Plié
3. Swish the right from the fifth position through first position on the floor
4. Jump the left leg up with the right leg coming to a half height or 45 degree angle en l’air
5. Land on the right leg in a fondu the arms should now be in third opposition 6. Simultaneously the left leg comes to a cou de pied derrière position
7. Ensure both knees are out to the side using your glutes and hips to instigate the movement rather than your knees and ankles
8. Repeat again to the left
*This exercise can also commence with the right foot in front
Written by Michelle Higgins @ Balletic
At Balletic we follow the bbodance ballet syllabus which in turn uses the ‘Gail Grant Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet‘ for all of it‘s terminology. Diagrams may be different to what you are used to based on the school of ballet that you follow.