Passe verus Pique

I recently enrolled my daughter in a ballet class.  You know, they look so cute wondering around in their little pink tights and ballet slippers.

But as I listened into the class, I was mortified to hear the incorrect use of the term "passe`".

Now, I'm sure all of you have heard the term passe` used to describe something old- something that was cool but now it's not.

Well, the move in ballet is similar:  You start with the leg in front of you, and you move it to the back. In other words, "passing" the leg from front to back.

And I don't even speak French!

Well, this instructor (who will remain nameless to prevent her embarrassment), said that passe` was a  pique`, a position where one leg is straight and the other leg is bent up to it to form the #4. 

She was clearly wrong, as 20 years of dance will atest.  You can have a passe` in pique` position or a passe` in coupe`, which would be move the leg from front to back, either at the knee or at the ankle.  

Now, granted, this was a tiny tots class of ballet, but still, you kind of expect the teachers to know the difference.