Ballet Term
Ouvert
Ouvert is a term used in classical ballet that is synonymous to effacé.
Ouvert means “open,” and in classical ballet it is used in much the same way as effacé to describe an open body position. When a step or pose is done ouvert, the dancer’s body is angled so that the front of the body is open toward the audience rather than crossed or hidden. It is the opposite idea to a closed or crossed position. Because it overlaps with effacé, you may hear the two words used to describe similar open shapes, depending on the training style.