Contretemps

A contretemps is a connecting step that falls before the beat of the music, which is where its name, meaning “against the time,” comes from. When a dancer performs it, the movement can look much like a brisé, but at the last moment the body opens to the other side, giving the step a surprising change of direction.

How It Reads on Stage

The contretemps is a preparatory or linking step rather than a big showpiece. It sets up the movement that follows by carrying the body into position slightly ahead of the musical count. That early timing is deliberate: it lets the dancer arrive ready for the next step exactly on the beat. The opening of the body to the opposite side is the detail that distinguishes it, turning what looks like a straightforward beaten jump into a redirection.

Where It Fits

Because it prepares and connects, contretemps is often tucked between larger steps in a combination, smoothing the transition from one direction or pose to another. Dancers learn to feel the “against the beat” timing so the step supports the phrasing rather than fighting it. Handled well, a contretemps is nearly invisible to the audience, doing its job of linking movements while keeping the dancer musical and continuous. It is one of many small connective steps that give classical combinations their flow.