Ballet Term
Écarté
Écarté is when ballet dancer is facing their entire body into one of the two front corners and their face in the other. This is most commonly used to define how a dancer stands when on stage.
Écarté means “separated” or “thrown wide apart,” and it names one of the classical body positions used to present a dancer to the audience on an angle. In écarté the dancer faces one of the two front corners of the stage while the working leg opens out to the side, so the body and leg are turned toward a diagonal rather than squarely front. The head and gaze play an important part in shaping the line.
How the position works
Standing on the diagonal, the dancer opens the working leg to the side, either in front of the body toward the audience or angled away, which gives the two versions, écarté devant and écarté derrière. The arms are held in a wide, open shape, and the head tilts toward or away from the raised arm depending on the version. Because the whole body is placed on an angle, écarté shows off the length of the leg and the sweep of the arms far more than a flat, front-facing pose would.
Why dancers use it
Écarté is one of the épaulement positions that make classical dancing look three-dimensional on stage. Presenting the body on a diagonal, with the head turned, creates depth and elegance and keeps a pose from looking flat. Teachers introduce écarté alongside positions like croisé and effacé so dancers learn to angle themselves rather than always facing straight to the front.
Common mistakes
The usual errors are squaring off to the front so the diagonal is lost, forgetting the head position that completes the line, and letting the arms drop out of their wide shape. Keeping a clear sense of which corner you face, and finishing the head and arms, is what makes écarté read as an open, expansive position.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between écarté devant and écarté derrière?
In écarté devant the working leg opens to the side toward the front, angled toward the audience, while in écarté derrière it opens to the side angled more toward the back. The arm and head positions change to match.
Is écarté a step or a position?
It is a position and an orientation of the body, one of the classical ways of presenting a dancer on a diagonal, rather than a moving step.