One of the most basic steps, the "ball change," is mixed with various movements. "Kick ball change" is often one of the first things a child learns in early jazz dance education. It is literally placing the ball of one foot behind the other and briefly shifting weight on that back ball of your foot.
Pronounced "sash-ay," this basic step is used in transitions or "across the floor" in warm-ups. It is a skip-like movement that is often used to prepare for a leap.
Basic leaps include a jeté (a forward split in the air), a switch leap (a jeté where the dancer suddenly switches leg positions mid-air) and a standard split jump where the dancer is in a second position split in mid-air, with the hips open and the legs straight out on either side.
Literally meaning "chain turns," these turns are basic spins that are done by opening and closing the arms, and turning the body around when the legs and arms are closed. They can be straight leg or plié, the latter usually a preparation for a jump.
A possé is a position derived straight from ballet, where the dancer has a straight standing leg and the other bent with the foot pointing towards knee. In jazz, this is usually turned inwards instead of outwards. Turns in this position are very common in jazz, and can be referred to as "piqué turns" because the dancer steps onto a straight leg.