In
ballet, a quick
whipping movement of the
leg while raised and spinning. The most famous occurrence is in
Swan Lake, where
Odile has thirty-two consecutive ones. This was a party trick of the great
Pierina Legnani, creator of the role in 1895, and was put in the
choreography for her. It is now seen as one of the classic tests of a
ballerina's skill.
French for whipped. The full term is fouetté en tournant, 'whipped in (while) turning'.