From the White Board: Ballet in Motion

Échappé Battu

Échappé battu is a beaten jump. Whenever performing échappé battu, the crossing or beating of the legs (thighs) occurs side to side and underneath you. When jumping and beating the legs, always work to cross the thighs to show “sous-sus” in the air and always perform the action of beating on the “up” of the jump.

To perform échappé battu:

• Begin in 5th position and perform échappé as you have in échappé sauté. In échappé battu, the beat occurs from the 2nd position when jumping up to assemble the legs.
• When jumping up from 2nd position, beat the legs back and then front in relation to the 5th position you began in. Meaning, if you begin with the right leg front, the échappé battu will end with the right leg front. 
• The “beat” will beat back and then front to finish.

It is important to use your demi-plié at the beginning and ending of all jumps, and to maintain a long lengthened torso. It is also important to avoid leaning forward or backward when jumping as it can stress the body and makes jumping difficult.