échappes

Échappes designates several specialized terms derived from the French verb échapper (to escape). In practice, the term is most often encountered in two performing arts disciplines, ballet and fencing, where échappé denotes a specific movement from a closed guard or position to a more open one, as well as its variations.

In ballet, an échappé is a movement that begins from a closed position, typically fifth position, and involves sliding the feet to a broader, open position—usually to second or fourth—with the weight distributed over both feet. It is executed with a plié for control and can be performed as a gliding step or as a jump, known as échappé sauté. Variants include dehors (to the outside) and dedans (to the inside).

In fencing, échappé refers to a step that escapes the opponent's attack by moving the front foot outward while the blade remains guarding, stepping from one guard to another. It can be to the outside or the inside, and is used to escape pressure, change lines, or set up an attack. Classic forms include simple échappé and combinations that include a beat or feint.

Outside these disciplines, échappé appears in general French usage as a past participle meaning “escaped” and in common phrases such as échappé to describe an escape or getaway in a narrative sense. The plural forméchappés is used in these contexts when referring to multiple escapes or escapees. In related technical vocabularies, the related noun échappement describes the escape mechanism in clocks and engines, though this is a distinct term.