Épaulé denotes which of these?

Épaulé denotes which of these?

• A. Shouldered
• B. Shaded
• C. Small turns
• D. Beaten

Answer: (A)

Épaulé describes how the upper body is presented to the audience, specifically a shouldered line. It means the torso is turned so the shoulder leads and the chest faces slightly toward the audience, creating a “shouldered” look. That makes it the best fit for the term. The other ideas refer to different movements or ideas in ballet: a shaded line would involve a different directional quality, small turns point to miniature pirouettes, and beaten refers to a beating of the leg. In short, épaulé is about the shouldered presentation of the body, not the movement of the legs or a beaten action.

Épaulé describes how the upper body is presented to the audience, specifically a shouldered line. It means the torso is turned so the shoulder leads and the chest faces slightly toward the audience, creating a “shouldered” look. That makes it the best fit for the term. The other ideas refer to different movements or ideas in ballet: a shaded line would involve a different directional quality, small turns point to miniature pirouettes, and beaten refers to a beating of the leg. In short, épaulé is about the shouldered presentation of the body, not the movement of the legs or a beaten action.