In retiré the working foot sits at the knee area of the supporting leg, with the leg turned out from the hip. This placement creates a compact, controlled shape that keeps the weight over the supporting leg and the legs in proper turnout. It also preserves a clean line and prepares the dancer for smooth transitions into other positions. The other options describe positions that change the line, stability, or turnout—such as the foot placed behind near the ankle, a straight-forward extension without turnout, or the foot lifted high in front—none of which capture the distinctive retrait alignment.

The movement described as “stretched beating” is battement tendu. In this term, battement means a beating action of the working leg, and tendu specifies that the leg remains stretched as the foot slides along the floor from a closed position toward an extended line, finishing with a pointed foot. It’s the classic on-the-floor, stretched working-leg motion that defines the battement family. Port de bras is about the arms, not the leg beating. Demi indicates half or partial and is a qualifier rather than a specific movement. Jeté is a leap with a beating action in the air, not a stretched, on-the-ground movement.

Posés développés focuses on unfolding into a pose. Développé means to unfold or develop the leg from a bent, drawn-up position into an extended line, and posés signals a poised, held moment rather than a step or jump. Put together, it describes the action of moving into a final extended pose by unfolding the leg, which is exactly what the term “a pose unfolding” conveys. The other terms describe dynamic actions: entrechat royale is a beating jump, grand jeté is a big leap, and pas de chat is a small running cat-like step. They don’t indicate a pose that unfolds into extension in the same way.

The main idea here is the direction of rotation relative to the supporting leg. In a pirouette en dehors, the turn spins outward, away from the leg that is bearing weight. The working leg moves toward the outside as you rotate, and your body follows that outward path. In a pirouette en dedans, the turn spins inward, toward the supporting leg, so the working leg moves toward the inside as you rotate. This directional difference guides your turnout, alignment, and spotting through the turn. It’s not about whether the feet are pointed or flexed—both versions use pointed toes when executed well. It’s also not about performing on one leg vs. two, since both can be done on a single leg, and it isn’t about warming up. The distinct feature is the direction of rotation relative to the supporting leg.