Diccionari de dansa clàssica

© Author and edition: TERMCAT, Centre for Terminology, 2022
© Photographs: Jordi Vidal Sabata
In collaboration with: Institut del Teatre; Institut Escola Artístic Oriol Martorell

The Diccionari de dansa clàssica (‘Dictionary of classical dance’) gathers 213 terms specific to this field, classified in six thematic areas: general concepts; positions and directions; steps and movements; jumps and turns; scenic work, and clothing.

The work, produced at the initiative of TERMCAT, has counted on the collaboration of the Institut del Teatre and the Institut Escola Artístic Oriol Martorell, and, throughout all the production process, on the advice of a team of experts mostly linked to these institutions (for more information on the experts who have intervened in the revision of the dictionary, see Work team).

Each terminological entry contains the preferred Catalan designation, the equivalents documented in other languages (Spanish, French and English), a definition, and, in more than a half of the entries, explanatory notes about the concept or the designation. In addition, in around thirty entries (for example, in the case of terms such as 5th position, arabesque, retiré or grand jeté), illustrative photographs of the concepts are included.

The terminology of classical dance comes largely from the French language, since the origins of this type of academic dance must be located in France in the 17th century. The steps and positions of classical dance are highly codified, and the French denomination functions as an international code. Other terms in the field, less codified (referring, for example, to general concepts or staging), are also known in French, which is the prestigious language in this field. One of the most important challenges of this dictionary, therefore, has been the treatment of loanwords from French, especially taking into account that sometimes they present graphic hesitations or, in some contexts, coexist with a complementary Catalan designation. For this reason, the Consell Supervisor, the body in charge of establishing the terminology in the Catalan language, has set criteria to provide a solution that is as coherent and unified as possible for the set of gallicisms used in the field of classical dance (see Introduction, pages 6-7).

In any case, it should not be forgotten that, apart from the large number of terms from French, the terminology of classical dance has also a basic vocabulary used in Catalan that until now has not been generally collected in other dictionaries, often shared with other dance disciplines (cama de treball, cama de suport, cos de ball, diagonal, evolució, marcar, repertori, repetidor | repetidora, variació, etc.). Therefore, another of the challenges of this dictionary has been the detection of these terms and the establishment of their definition, with the aim of enhancing the vocabulary of dance in general and offering a useful consultation tool to dancers in training, professionals or other people interested in classical dance.

Clicking on "Consulta de termes" (‘Term search’), terms can be looked up in three ways: using the alphabetical indexes (there is a different index for each language), using the thematic access or making simple or advanced searches in the upper space "Text de la consulta" (‘Text search’) in any of the dictionary languages.

Foreword (printed edition)
Work team
Concept diagram
Introduction
Bibliography

Other documents related to the project:
Infographics: Termes de dansa clàssica

 Video: Presentation of the Dictionary of classical dance

Author and edition:

In collaboration with: 

TERMCAT, CENTRE DE TERMINOLOGIA. Diccionari de dansa clàssica [en línia]. Barcelona: TERMCAT, Centre de Terminologia, cop. 2022. (Diccionaris en Línia)
<https://www.termcat.cat/ca/diccionaris-en-linia/309>