soutenus

Soutenus is the plural form of the French adjective soutenu, meaning sustained, supported, or held. In English-language arts writing, soutenus is used to refer to passages, movements, or notes described as sustained or evenly connected, and may appear in musicology, dance notation, or performance critique. The form is most often encountered in discussions of French-origin terms in classical music and ballet, where the term is borrowed intact from French.

In music, soutenu describes a smooth, connected style in which notes are executed with even duration and legato touch. A soutenu passage aims for continuous phrasing, with minimal separation between notes, producing a steady, sustained effect. In performance notes, soutenu may indicate to sustain tones or to maintain a stable tempo.

In dance, soutenu is a standard ballet term used to describe a movement executed on the supporting foot, often forming part of a turn or sequence. While the singular soutenu is common in dance notation, the plural soutenus appears mainly in descriptive prose or choreographic text by translators or commentators.

In other contexts, soutenu appears in linguistic description of French intonation or prosody to indicate a syllable or phrase that is maintained with a steady pitch.

Origin lies in the French verb soutenir, meaning to support or sustain; the related noun soutenu developed to describe the resulting state or quality of being sustained.