Barre – long railing that runs along the wall of a ballet studio.
Mason: When no one is looking, it’s fun to hang upside down from it and pretend you’re a bat.
Celery – crunchy green vegetable. Eating four stalks every day may improve ballet performance; however, this has not been tested, because all our celery got turned blue, by a certain person whose name I won’t mention.
Mason: Jerzey, I had to! For school! How was I supposed to know you wanted that stupid old celery?
Chassé – sideways, galloping movement across the dance floor.
Mason: Or the basketball court.
Freeman, Miss Camilla – a very important ballerina who is elegant, talented, and refined.
Mason: And her purse makes a good hiding place if you’re a rat.
Grand battement – large kicking movement.
Mason: Why can’t dancers just say “big kick”?
Grand jeté – big jump. But not exactly like a jump-shot jump. See? That’s why we need proper French terminology.
Mason: How do you say, “whatever,” in French?
