en Dedans

En dedans means “inward,” and it is always attached to another term to describe the direction of a movement. It tells you which way a turn or circling step travels. For a turning step, en dedans usually means the dancer turns toward the supporting leg. For example, in a pirouette en dedans the dancer pushes the leg toward the front and spins inward, toward the standing leg. It is the opposite of en dehors, which means “outward.” Knowing the pair helps you follow a teacher’s directions quickly.