Rond de jambe which literally translates to ‘rounding of the leg’ is a common ballet step which involves making a semi circular shape with the working leg. This can be performed à terre (on the ground) or en l’air (in the air). It can also be executed with the supporting leg en fondu (in a bend) or supporting leg fully stretch. Usually when performing a rond de jambe at the the barre an en dehor rond de jambe would have a full port de bras and a en dedans rond de jambe would have a reversed full port de bras. The port de bras can either come to first or fifth position. Below I will describe rond de jambe en dehor and en dedans à terre which are both performed in the grade 3 and 4 syllabus classes.
Rond de Jambe en dehor à terre - outwards away from the barre
for example starting in first position tendu devant using all of the floor keeping the heel forward and coming to a fully pointed foot devant, keeping the leg and foot in the same fully extended and pointed position circle the foot to a la second then to derrière and come back to first position coming through the ball of the foot and then lowering the heel to first position.
Rond de Jambe en dedans à terre - inwards towards the barre
For example starting in first position tendu derrière using all of the floor through the demi pointe leading with the little toes and coming to a fully pointed foot derrière, keeping the leg and foot in the same fully extended and pointed position circle the foot to a la second then to devant and come back to first position coming through the ball of the foot to the lowering the heel to first position.
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.