noun
arabesque
A ballet pose balanced on one leg with the other extended behind.
The dancer holds an arabesque with one leg extended behind her.
Etymology
The Italian word named an ornamental style associated with Arab art. Ballet adopted the decorative term for a pose whose extended limbs create an ornamental line.
More examples
- She lowers her raised leg from the arabesque.
- The instructor corrects the alignment of his arabesque.
- The choreography includes three sustained arabesques.
Forms
arabesque · arabesques
Similar words
- attitude
- A related ballet pose with the raised leg bent.