Ballet Term
Battement Développé
A Battement Développé is a classical ballet term that refers to a dancer moving their working foot up to a retiré position and opening to the front, side or back with a deliberate motion from a fifth position.
A battement développé is one of the most beautiful controlled movements in ballet, and it is where dancers learn to unfold a leg slowly into the air. The word développé means “developed,” and that is exactly what happens: the leg develops, or opens out, step by step rather than kicking out all at once.
How the movement unfolds
Starting usually from fifth position, the working foot draws up along the supporting leg to retiré, where the toe rests near the knee. From there the leg unfolds and extends out to the front, the side, or the back with a smooth, deliberate motion, then holds in the air before closing back down. The whole point is control. Where a grand battement throws the leg up quickly, a développé shows off strength and steadiness by moving slowly.
Because the leg is held in the air, développé demands real turnout, core support, and balance on the supporting leg. Young dancers often begin with the leg low and raise it higher over months and years as their strength grows.
Where you will see it
Développé appears both at the barre and in the center, and it shows up constantly in choreography whenever a dancer needs to lift a leg gracefully into an extended line. It can open to any of the standard directions, so a teacher may call for a développé to the front (devant), side (à la seconde), or back (derrière). The same unfolding action is also the foundation for more advanced work, and learning a clean développé early pays off across a dancer’s whole training.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a développé and a grand battement?
A grand battement throws the straight leg up quickly and brings it back down. A développé unfolds the leg slowly through retiré and holds it in the air. One shows power, the other shows control.
What does the word développé mean?
It means "developed." The leg develops, or unfolds, from a bent retiré position into a fully extended line in the air.
Why is développé so hard for beginners?
Holding a leg high in the air demands strong turnout, a steady core, and good balance on the supporting leg. Dancers usually start with a low extension and raise it gradually as their strength builds.