Definition

A ballet term for a single step or movement, from French for 'step'—which somehow makes tripping over your own feet while turning out your leg sound elegant. It's the basic unit of dance vocabulary, and it looks way easier when professionals do it than when you attempt it in actual class.

Example Usage

The ballet instructor broke down the combination into individual pas positions so the students could master each step before linking them together.

Source: Ballet and dance terminology, French origin

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