Ballet & Dance Trivia

Dance is one of the oldest art forms, but ballet in particular developed a vocabulary and set of institutions unlike almost any other performance tradition — its own language, training system, and canon of works performed worldwide for centuries.

This quiz covers ballet terminology, famous companies, and a few landmark works from dance history.

The Language of Ballet

Ballet developed in the courts of Renaissance Italy and France, and it kept the French vocabulary that still defines it today.

• "Plié" means to bend, and it's one of the first movements taught to every ballet student.
• A "pas de deux" is a dance duet, typically performed by a male and female dancer.
• Pointe shoes allow dancers to perform en pointe, balancing on the very tips of their toes.
• "Grand jeté" is a large jump where a dancer leaps with legs split in the air.

Landmark Companies and Works

A few institutions and productions shaped ballet into the global art form it is today.

• The Nutcracker, with music by Tchaikovsky, premiered in 1892 and is now a holiday season staple.
• The Bolshoi Ballet and the Mariinsky Ballet are two of Russia's most famous ballet companies.
• Swan Lake, also composed by Tchaikovsky, is one of the most performed ballets in the world.