Temps Lié

Temps lié means “connected movement” in French, and it names a smooth sequence of steps and weight transfers that flow together without breaks. Rather than a single position, it is a linked phrase, usually built from pliés and tendus, in which the dancer shifts weight gradually from one leg to the other. The whole point is continuity: each move melts into the next so the body travels seamlessly through space. Temps lié is a classic exercise for teaching dancers how to move fluidly and connect their steps musically.

How the Exercise Works

A basic temps lié begins in a plié, then the dancer stretches one foot out in a tendu, transfers the weight smoothly over onto that leg, and closes to a new position, ready to continue in another direction. Because the weight glides rather than jumps from foot to foot, the dancer learns to control the transfer through a soft, deep plié and a fully stretched supporting leg. The arms move in coordinated port de bras, and the head and shoulders add épaulement, the graceful angling of the upper body, so the whole exercise becomes a study in flow and coordination.

Why It Builds Good Dancing

Temps lié trains the exact quality that makes classical dancing look elegant: unbroken, connected motion. By practicing controlled weight transfers, dancers build the strength and balance needed to move smoothly rather than lurching between positions. It also develops épaulement and coordinated arms, which give dancing its expressive, three-dimensional look. Because temps lié links plié, tendu, weight shift, and port de bras into one continuous phrase, it teaches young dancers to think of steps not as separate pieces but as parts of a flowing whole, which is a skill they will use in every combination and every performance.