A coupé-chassé en tournant is a classical ballet term that describes a step where a dancer is turning in the air in a coupé position. More specifically, it is almost always a preparation, especially for men for grand allegro.
For example, a male dancer will commonly do a coupé-chassé en tournant before a sauté basque. For short, it is simply called a chassé en tournant, or “en tournant preparation.” However, it shouldn’t be confused with a similar step which is more commonly done by women, which is an actual chassé en tournant where the difference being that the legs are straight. In a coupé-chassé en tournant there is actually a cutting or coupé action that helps gain momentum for a big jump.
Like many compound steps, it is best shown on a video or pictures. We’ll be working on that and posting it here as soon as it is ready!
