BRIS

also called Pas Bris (French: broken step), in classical ballet, a small, battu (beaten) step. The quality of a bris should be sharp and brisk. The basic bris is a travelled assembl that is done with a beat. The dancer brushes the working leg, as in an assembl, to the side and into the air while simultaneously pushing off from the supporting leg, and then beats in front or in back of the supporting leg. The dancer lands on both feet, usually in fifth position demi-pli (feet crossed, knees bent). A basic bris can be varied through differences of timing, travelling across the floor, and the position of the beat of the legs.