A Beginner’s Guide to Basic Ballet Positions, Poses, & Terminology

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Professional ballerina Geraldine Grace Johns shares tips to achieve the most fundamental ballet poses
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Ballet is one of the most storied and beautiful art forms we have…but it’s also one of the most complex and challenging, with numerous moves, techniques, and poses for ballerinas to master. Whether you’re an experienced dancer or a newbie to the ballet world, we’re here to walk you through the most fundamental and crucial moves in ballet—including the basic foot and arm positions. We’ve also interviewed our wikiHow experts on ballet and dance to help you bring your positions and poses to a professional level.

What are basic ballet poses and names?

Illustration of basic ballet poses and moves, like the arabesque, plie, and attitude.

Professional ballerina Geraldine Grace Johns names arabesques and pliés among the most fundamental poses and dance moves in ballet, while other key positions include croisés, relevés, and attitudes. Below, read the basic description of each of these ballet dance poses:

  • Arabesque: One leg is extended straight behind the body.
  • Attitude: One leg is lifted and bent at the knee with a 90-degree angle.
  • Croisé: Both legs are crossed, and the body is at a 45-degree angle to the audience.
  • Plié: Both legs are bent at the knee with the feet turned out, then straightened.
  • Relevé: Dancers rise from flat feet to their toes (en pointe) or the balls of their feet.

    Meet the wikiHow Experts

    Geraldine Grace Johns is a professional ballerina and ballet instructor who studied with the Royal Academy of Dance in London and now owns the Grace Ballet dance studio.

    Dannica Robertson is a professional dancer, choreographer, and instructor with over two decades of experience in the dance industry. She has trained in jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop, acro, and lyrical since childhood.

Section 1 of 5:

Common Ballet Dance Poses

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  1. Step 1 Arabesque
    An arabesque is a basic ballet pose where the dancer stands on one leg and extends their other leg straight behind their body. The spine is kept straight, the shoulders are squared to the direction of the dance movement, and the arms are often extended.
  2. Step 2 Attitude
    In the attitude position, a dancer will stand on one leg while their other leg is lifted and bent at the knee. Typically, the lifted leg is bent at a 90-degree angle, although the angle might be slightly wider depending on the specific dance and style. The lifted leg must also be turned out from the hip so that the knee is above the foot, and the standing leg can be straight or bent.[3]
    • To perform an attitude, start in first position with relaxed arms, then raise your arms to the side and lift one leg directly behind you, keeping your toe tucked under and your hips square. Slightly bend this lifted leg and reach your toe toward the shoulder opposite to the leg.
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  3. Step 3 Croisé
    The croisé pose involves a dancer standing at a 45-degree angle to their viewer or audience, so that their legs appear crossed. Usually, a croisé is performed while the dancer is facing one of the front corners of the stage.[4]
    • To perform a croisé, stand at a 45-degree angle to your “audience,” or turn your body toward a front corner of the room you’re in or the stage you’re on. Square your torso, hips, and shoulders to that corner, but keep your head turned toward the audience.
    • Place your legs in the third, fourth, or fifth position. Extend the leg closest to your audience to the front, and extend your other leg to the back. Raise the arm that’s opposite to the front leg, and keep the other arm in second position.
  4. Step 4 Écarté
    For an écarté, a dancer’s body will be angled diagonally, with their working leg extended to the side (in second position) and one arm lifted in a high fourth position. The shoulders are also slanted to better frame the head and create a dramatic curved line.[5]
    • To perform an écarté devante, diagonally extend one leg to a front corner of the room you’re in (this is similar to second position). Turn your body toward the opposite corner, then raise the arm that’s on the same side as the extended leg. Turn your head up toward the lifted hand, then extend your other arm horizontally.
    • To perform an écarté derrière, diagonally extend one leg to a back corner of the room you’re in (this is similar to second position). Turn your body toward that corner, then raise the arm that’s on the same side as the extended leg. Turn your head down toward the standing leg, then extend your other arm horizontally.
    • When you’re holding a pose in ballet, adds dance instructor Dannica Robertson, you want all of your fingertips and extremities to have “energy going out and in. You’re not just holding a pose, you’re energetic within that pose…[Visualize] laser beams or something, just energy coming out of [your] fingers or out of [your] head.”[6]
  5. Step 5 Plié
    A plié is a basic ballet pose that involves the knees being carefully bent outward while the back is kept completely straight. The plié is often used as a warm-up in ballet, but it’s also an important skill for transitions and jumps. There are also two types of pliés: a demi-plié, where the knees are only partially bent and the dancer’s heels stay on the floor, and a grand-plié, where the dancer fully bends until their thighs are nearly parallel to the floor.[7]
  6. Step 6 Turnout
    In ballet, a turnout happens when a dancer externally rotates their legs away from their hip joints. As a result, their knees and feet are pointed outward and away from the center of their body. While a turnout isn’t a “pose” in and of itself, it's a fundamental technique that underlies nearly every dance movement in ballet.[9]
    • To perform a turnout, stand with your feet parallel to each other, then engage the muscles around your hips and glutes to rotate your thighs outward. Visualize the backs of your thighs opening up and your heels being pulled forward. Be sure to keep your core and pelvis still and engaged.
  7. Step 7 Relevé
    A relevé is a fundamental ballet movement where a dancer performs a slight plié before lifting onto their toes or the ball of their feet. A relevé is often used as part of a turn or an arabesque, but it’s also a common warm-up or strengthening exercise.[10]
    • To perform a relevé, start in first, second, or fifth position, then bend your knees down into a demi-plié (where your knees are only partially bent and your heels remain on the floor). Then, push through your feet and straighten your legs, while simultaneously lifting your heels and transferring your weight to your toes or the balls of your feet. Make sure to keep your shoulders down and hips stable.
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Section 2 of 5:

Common Ballet Dance Moves

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  1. Step 1 Assemblé
    An assemblé is a jump where a dancer brushes one foot into the air while pushing off the floor with their other leg. Then, both legs are brought together midair before landing together in fifth position.[11]
    • To perform an assemblé, begin in fifth position with your right foot at the back. From there, brush your right foot along the floor and out to the side, then push off from your left leg and jump straight up (making sure to keep your right leg extended and its toes pointed). While in the air, bring your right leg to meet your left leg and perform a fifth position formation, then land with both feet in fifth position with a deep plié.
  2. Step 2 Chassé
    A chassé is a traveling, three-part step where one foot “chases” the other in a gliding move across the floor. All together, the move is similar to a step-together-step, and it’s used to elegantly and quickly “travel” across the dance floor, or to lead into a large jump or leap.[12]
    • To perform a chassé, begin in a turned-out position with your knees bent in a plié. From there, step one foot (your leading foot) out to the side, or in whatever direction you need to travel in. Then, move your other foot to meet your leading foot, ankles together, in a quick mid-air step. Lastly, land in plié on your leading foot.
  3. Step 3 Développé
    A développé is a slow movement where one leg is drawn up to the other leg’s knee, then slowly unfolded into an extended position. Typically, the extended leg is lifted as high as possible, or at least to more than a 90-degree angle, and it can be extended to the front, the side, or the back.
    • To perform a développé, start in fifth position and slowly, deliberately lift one foot off the floor. Draw the toes up the shin of your other leg until they reach the knee, then “unfold” the lifted leg by lifting the thigh and extending the knee. Keep unfolding, leading with the heel, until the leg is fully extended in the air. To end this move, slowly bring the leg back down and close in fifth position.
  4. Step 4 Grand jeté
    A grand jeté is a major jump or leap, and it involves a dancer brushing one leg into the air, pushing off the floor with their other leg, then splitting their legs midair while traveling forward. The dancer then lands on their first leg, with their second leg trailing closely behind.
    • To perform a grand jeté, begin with a chassé, or another move that gives you forward momentum. Then, enter a deep plié before brushing your front leg forward and upward to a 90-degree angle (or higher). Then, push off with your other leg, extend it backwards, and jump while performing a split in the air. Land on your front leg into a plié while keeping your back leg extended behind you.
  5. Step 5 Pas de basque
    A pas de basque is a rhythmic connecting step where weight is transferred from one foot to the other. The pas de basque takes place over three counts—with a step, a brush over the floor, and a backwards movement.
    • To perform a pas de basque, start in fifth position with your right foot in front and your legs in a demi-plié. From there, brush your right foot forward along the floor, then do a slight forward leap or step to transfer your weight to your right foot. Then, bring your left foot forward into first position and step into a plié. To finish the move, bring your right foot to meet your left in a fifth-position demi-plié.
  6. Step 6 Pirouette
    A pirouette is a complete turn or spin in ballet. In a controlled manner, the dancer will complete a full 360-degree turn of their body while spinning on one leg. Typically, the standing or spinning leg is in a relevé position, while the other leg is lifted and bent at the knee.
    • To perform a pirouette, start with your feet in fourth position in a deep plié. From there, push off the floor to stand on the toes of your front foot while bringing your back foot up to your knee. Then, find an eye-level spot on the wall and begin your turn, but whip your head around to keep your eyes on the spot as much as possible. End the turn in a plié.
    • Johns adds that, “for a pirouette, you want to feel like you’re a tree and your roots are pushing down into the ground, then you’re pulling up out of the crown of your head…Pull your belly button into your spine to really activate the deep layers of your core to hold you up.”[13]
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    Murisa Harba

    Acting Coach & Dance Instructor
    Murisa Harba is an Acting Coach, Dance Instructor, and the Artistic Director & Owner of About the Works Actors Studio and Take My Lead LA. With over 13 years of experience, she specializes in private ballroom dancing lessons and encouraging actors to creatively tell stories. Murisa holds a BFA in Theatre and a Minor in Dance from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts.
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    For spotting, pick a spot on the wall and keep coming back to it. Ideally, pick a spot on the wall that’s at the horizon line, then keep returning to that spot. The better your spot and the more connected your body is to itself via its own frame, the better you’ll be able to complete your turns.

  7. Step 7 Rond de jambe
    A ronde de jambe is a foundational movement where one leg traces a circular shape on the floor or in the air. When the circular path is traced in the air (rond de jambe en l’air), the standing leg is also rotated.
    • To perform a rond de jambe (en dehors), begin in first position, then brush one foot forward (leading with the heel) into a pointed position. Then, move the pointed toe in a semi-circle to the side of your body, then continue onto the back—keeping the leg straight the entire time. To close the move, draw your foot back into first position.
  8. Step 8 Sauté
    A sauté is a basic ballet jump where the dancer starts in a plié (with both knees bent), then jumps into the air before landing in another plié. Importantly, the legs are extended and the toes are pointed throughout the jump.[14]
    • To perform a sauté, bend your knees into a demi-plie with your heels on the floor. Then, push off the floor with both legs, keeping your legs completely straight and your toes pointed. Land in a demi-plié, then straighten your knees while keeping your feet flat.
  9. Step 9 Tour en l’air
    A tour en l’air is a challenging but impressive jump where a dancer begins in a crouched position before leaping vertically into the air. While in the air, the dancer will complete one or more full spins (or rotations) before landing in fifth position with a deep plié.[15]
    • To perform a tour en l’air, start in fifth position and perform a deep plié. Then, push off with both feet and jump vertically upward. As you jump into the air, lift your arms into first position and rotate into your turn. Make sure to keep your feet close together, but switch their position as you spin. Land in the same spot you started in, in a fifth position plié.
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Section 3 of 5:

Basic Feet Positions in Ballet

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  1. Step 1 First Position
    “First position is a closed position,” explains Johns, so the “dancer stands with their feet together [and] the heels touching.”[16] To perform first position, stand with your heels touching and your toes slightly turned out in a “V” shape. Keep your legs straight and slightly rotated from your hips.
  2. Step 2 Second Position
    “Second position is an open position where the dancer stands with [their] feet approximately shoulder-width apart,” says Johns.[17] To perform second position, start in first position, then move your feet slightly to the side until they’re about shoulder-width apart. Keep your feet in their turned-out “V” shape, however.
  3. Step 3 Third Position
    “Third position is a closed position,” describes Johns, “where the dancer stands with their feet together [and] with one foot in front of the other so that the heel of the front foot is placed at the middle of the back foot.”[18] To perform third position, place one foot in front of the other. Let the heel of your front foot rest against the instep (or center) of your back foot.
  4. Step 4 Fourth Position
    In fourth position, which is an “open position with the dancer stance,” as Johns explains, “one foot is placed in front of the first position and the other behind.”[19] To perform fourth position, start in first position, then slide one foot forward about 1 foot (30 cm). Maintain the turned-out position, and ensure that the feet are parallel to each other, with the heels of each foot aligning with the toes of the other foot.
  5. Step 5 Fifth Position
    “Fifth position,” says Johns, “is a closed position with the dancer standing with their feet together with one foot in front of the other so that the heel of the front foot is placed in line with a big toe joint of the back foot.”[20] To perform fifth position, start in first position, then slide one foot forward until the heel of the front foot touches the big toe joint of the back foot.
    • Johns adds that, when attempting fifth position, “you must have your legs turned out from your hips. Some [dancers], when they try to get a fifth position…they turn out from their feet, and that can do really bad damage to the knees.” Your knees should be turned out from the hips, not the feet.[21]
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Section 4 of 5:

Basic Arm Positions in Ballet

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  1. Step 1 First Position
    In first position, “both of your arms are curved to form an oval in front of your body,” says Johns. “Your little fingers [should be] slightly above your waist level.”[22] To perform this position, lift your arms to form a circle just above your waist, with your palms facing toward you and your hands about two fingers’ width apart. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your elbows pointing to either side.
  2. Step 2 Second Position
    In second position, your arms are “held at the side…[and] they curve and slope downwards from the shoulders to the tips of the fingers,” explains Johns.[23] To perform second position, start in first position, then open your arms out to the sides (while keeping them slightly in front of your body). Keep your elbows lifted and your palms facing forward, but let your shoulders relax into a slightly sloped, rounded shape.
  3. Step 3 Third Position
    In third position, hold “one of your arms in first [position] and the other arm in second,” instructs Johns.[24] To perform third position, start in second position, with both of your arms extended to the side and slightly in front of your body. Then, move one of your arms into first position, where it’s curved in front of your body to form an oval just above your waistline.
  4. Step 4 Fourth Position
    In fourth position, says Johns, “one of the arms is in fifth, and the other arm is in second position.”[25] To perform fourth position, start in third position, where one of your arms is curved in front of your body, and the other is extended out to the side. From there, lift your curved arm above your head, maintaining the same curved shape.
  5. Step 5 Fifth Position
    In fifth position, as Johns describes it, “both your arms are curved [up] to form an oval, and they’re held in front of your body.”[26] To perform fifth position, start in fourth position, where one arm is extended out to the side, and the other is lifted above the head. From there, lift and curve the extended arm above your head to create a complete oval with both arms.
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Section 5 of 5:

Additional Ballet Terms & Definitions

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  1. 1
    Adagio A series of movements that are slow, soft, and lyrical. Each move subtly continues into the next so that they appear to be one flowing movement.[27]
  2. 2
    Allegro A series of fast, dynamic, and energetic movements—often including jumps and spins.[28]
  3. 3
    Ballerina A female dancer in a professional or amateur ballet company.
  4. 4
    Balletomane An avid fan, follower, supporter, or enthusiast of ballet.[29]
  5. 5
    Barre A horizontal, usually wooden bar that runs along the wall of a ballet studio. The barre is used for support when performing class exercises and warm-ups.
  6. 6
    Danseur A male dancer in a professional or amateur ballet company.
  7. 7
    Pas de deux A duet, or a dance that involves two individuals.[30]
  8. 8
    Pointe Shoes The shoes that dancers use to stand or dance en pointe (on their toes). Pointe shoes are typically made of satin, but they’re strengthened and reinforced with numerous layers of fabric, materials, and glue.[31]
  9. 9
    Repetiteur A coach or director whose job is to teach choreography, stage ballets, and lead daily classes and/or rehearsals. They’re also responsible for maintaining the artistic standards and original vision of the ballet at hand.
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References

  1. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ https://writing.colostate.edu/gallery/fogelson/test2.html
  4. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/ballet-positions-77422/
  5. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/ballet-positions-77422/
  6. ↑ Dannica Robertson. Dance Instructor. Expert Interview
  7. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/ballet-positions-77422/
  8. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  9. ↑ https://pointemagazine.com/improve-your-turnout/
  1. ↑ https://writing.colostate.edu/gallery/fogelson/test2.html
  2. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/ballet-positions-77422/
  3. ↑ https://northlandschoolofdance.com/c-is-for-chasse-dance-terminology-a-z/
  4. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/ballet-positions-77422/
  6. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02qy6ck
  7. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  8. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  9. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  10. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  11. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  12. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  13. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  14. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  15. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  16. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  17. ↑ Geraldine Grace Johns. Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor. Expert Interview
  18. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-basic-ballet-dictionary
  19. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-basic-ballet-dictionary
  20. ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balletomane
  21. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-basic-ballet-dictionary
  22. ↑ https://illumin.usc.edu/craft-of-ballet-pointe-shoes/

About This Article

Sophie Burkholder, BA
Co-authored by:
Sophie Burkholder, BA
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Sophie Burkholder, BA. Sophie Burkholder graduated from Boston University in 2020 with dual degrees in Spanish and Modern Foreign Language Education. For three years, Sophie worked as a classroom teacher and strived to foster a love of learning and self-empowerment in her students. With that same purpose but a new audience, she now writes for the content team at wikiHow. She's passionate about giving readers the tools they need for any goal, big or small.
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