corps de ballet

[kawr duh ba-ley, bal-ey, kawr duh ba-le]

noun

1. the dancers in a ballet company who perform as a group and have no solo parts.

corps de ballet

/ ˈkɔː də ˈbæleɪ, kɔr də balɛ /

noun

1. the members of a ballet company who dance together in a group

Word History and Origins

Origin of corps de ballet¹

From French, dating back to 1820–30; corps, ballet

Example Sentences

Shklyarov knew he thrived as a solo dancer, noting in interviews that he had struggled to adjust and follow lines in corps de ballet roles.

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The corps de ballet is another anchor as couples move in unison turns, dip their torsos forward or take steps on their heels.

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And, while the corps de ballet pirouettes and leaps across the stage, Tim breaks his magician’s code and tells me exactly how the trick is done.

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This was a vivid threesome; but Bradley, a member of the corps de ballet, rooted the steps with a seriousness that instilled her entire body with lucid focus.

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One of the many wonderful aspects of “Secret Things” is how its eight dancers, mostly from the corps de ballet, emerge as distinctive personalities without being presentational.

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