assemblé

assemblé, (French: “step put together”), in classical ballet, a movement in which a dancer’s feet or legs are brought together in the air and the dancer lands on both feet. It can be done front, back, dessus, dessous, and so on.

In a basic assemblé, the dancer brushes the working leg into the air while simultaneously pushing off the supporting leg, touches the feet or legs together in the air, and lands with the feet usually in fifth position demi-plié (feet crossed, knees bent). There are many variations of an assemblé, which can involve turning or traveling across the floor and executing small, battu (“beaten”) steps.