chassé

American  

[sha-sey, sa-shey] / ʃæˈseɪ, sæˈʃeɪ /

noun

1. a gliding step in which one foot is kept in advance of the other.

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verb (used without object)

chasséd, chasséing

1. to execute a chassé.

chassé British  

/ ˈʃæseɪ /

noun

1. one of a series of gliding steps in ballet in which the same foot always leads

2. three consecutive dance steps, two fast and one slow, to four beats of music

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verb

1. (intr) to perform either of these steps

Etymology

Origin of chassé

1795–1805; < French: literally, chased, followed, past participle of chasser to chase ¹

Explanation

A chasse is a ballet step in which one foot follows the other as the dancer glides across the floor. You can think of a chasse as a very graceful gallop. In French, chassé means "chased." The ballet move got this name from the way one foot "chases" the other. The chasse, in which the dancer's legs bend as their second foot slides across the floor to meet the first one, is also performed by ballroom dancers, line dancers, ice dancers, and even roller skaters. It's also a verb, so feel free to chasse over to the fridge to grab a snack!