A pirouette (French: 'spinning top') is a turn performed on one leg in classical ballet, with the other leg raised, typically to passé position (with the foot at knee height). The dancer uses a preparation to generate momentum, then 'spots' — rapidly turning the head to face a fixed point before the body completes the revolution, then snapping the head around again — to maintain balance and orientation over multiple rotations. Single pirouettes are technically demanding; multiple pirouettes (triples, quadruples and beyond) require extraordinary control of balance, centring and momentum. In the 19th century, Marie Taglioni popularised the extended balance on pointe; today's female soloists regularly execute multiple pirouettes en pointe. Male dancers, unrestricted by pointe shoes, can achieve more revolutions: six, eight or more in competition contexts.