How to say & pronounce Préparation:

prah-paw-ray-shun

What does Préparation translate to?

preparation

Préparation is a classical ballet term simply meaning preparation!  A preparation step is a position or movement in ballet that prepares a dancer for another, usually more difficult, step.

One of the best examples of préparation is when a dancer does a plié in fourth position before a pirouette en dehors.  Another good example would be when a dancer, either a female or male, is posed in a tendu before beginning a menege of turns or coupe jetés.