> In ballet, what's the term used to describe a spin on one foot?And the answer is: pirouette. The physical movements of a pirouette (Shutterstock)A pirouette is a type ofdance turn on one foot. In ballet, the dancer turns a full 360 degrees and oftenseveral times in a row. Pirouettes are also found in jazz and modern dance, aswell as in gymnastics.Often cloaked in the grace and poise of their performance, athleticism is anecessary backbone of any successful ballerina. Though ballet is more oftenconsidered an art than a sport requiring rigorous training, most often theregiment closely resembles one another. Dancers routinely participate intechnique classes during the day, followed by rehearsals in the afternoons andevenings. In addition to form, ballet dancers' artistic and creative ability tocommunicate the story of a piece is an equally essential aspect of their roles. Ballet is often so rigorous in its undertaking that many ballerinas' careers arecut short by injury after less than 20 years. Though physical therapy and otherpreventative measures can help keep dancer's body aligned and safe in rehearsal,oftentimes it takes a single misstep to keep a ballerina offstage. Fun fact! Being "en pointe," a position of ballet that requires ballerinas to balance onthe tips of their toes atop wooden-tipped pointe shoes, often means thatballerinas' toes take up to 3 times their body weight! The sheer stress usuallymeans that professional ballerinas go through three to five pairs of pointeshoes a week. Check out the video below to experience the routine of a professional ballerina.