Assemblé

An assemblé is a jump in which the two legs come together in the air before landing. The name comes from the French word for “to assemble” or “to gather,” which describes exactly what the legs do at the height of the jump. One leg brushes out along the floor while the dancer pushes off the supporting leg, and then both legs meet in the air so the dancer lands neatly in fifth position with the feet closed.

How an Assemblé Is Performed

Most assemblés begin in fifth position with a demi-plié. The working leg brushes out through a dégagé, usually to the side (à la seconde) or to the front or back. As that leg reaches its full extension, the dancer springs off the standing leg. In the air the legs draw together and point strongly, and the landing returns to a soft demi-plié in fifth position. Because the feet finish closed, the assemblé is a controlled, tidy jump rather than a traveling leap.

Variations and Where You See It

Assemblés have many variations. They can be performed traveling forward, back, or to the side, and they can be done with a beat (assemblé battu) for older students. The direction the working leg brushes and the position of the arms change the look of the step. Because it is a jump, you will mostly see assemblés in petit allegro and grand allegro combinations during a classical ballet class, where they help dancers build the spring, coordination, and clean fifth-position landings that support bigger jumps later on.