What does “Grand pas” mean in ballet?
A suite of individual dances that serves as a showpiece for lead dancers, demi-soloists , and in some cases the corps de ballet . Often regarded as the pièce de résistance of a ballet. It usually consists of an entrée , a grand adage , and a coda , which brings the suite to a conclusion. After the adage, it may include a dance for the corps de ballet (often referred to as the ballabile ), variations for demi-soloists, variations for lead ballerina and danseur, or some combinations of these. Various types of "grand pas" are found in ballet, including: A grand pas d'action is one that contributes to a ballet's story. In a grand pas classique , classical ballet technique prevails and no character dances are included. A grand pas de deux serves as the pièce de résistance for the principal male and female characters of a full-length ballet. A grand pas danced by three or four dancers is a grand pas de trois or grand pas de quatre , respectively.
See also
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Definition adapted from Glossary of ballet on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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