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Ballet Positions - What You Need to Know

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Ballet Positions - Why You Need to Get the Basics Right

A talented ballet dancer is able to move their body in unusual ways, all the while maintaining a natural flow. Ballet, as with other forms of dance, is more than a dance, as it is an art form. You can often get a sense of an emotion when watching a ballet dance. Dancers are trained to express many emotions with their movements and actions. Although male dancers are also trained to be flexible, and lightweight, they are most known for lifting the female ballet dancers into the air. This movement is designed to illustrate how light and airy the ballerinas are. Both male and female dancers can use their bodies to create shapes and lines that work well within the story of the dance.

Mastering the basic ballet positions is fundamental to moving beyond beginner level to more interesting moves and dances. Unfortunately many people are unable to master the basics and give up. Around 95% of all people who start ballet don't progress any further. This is a shame because with a little bit of help and guidance most people can easily pick up the basic ballet positions they need to know.

How Does Ballet Work?

Ballet works by combining fluid, graceful movements with a rhythm set by either orchestra or vocal music. The goal of the dance is to create and tell a story to the audience. Dancers use forms of miming, acting and dance to tell this story.

The different forms of ballet each use different methods for enacting this story. A modern ballet company may use a variety of dancing techniques that differs greatly from the classical movements. Each member of the ballet company has a very specific role ranging from the backup ballerinas to the Prima Ballerina.

The classical method of ballet adheres to the strict ballet positions and dances that have been around since the advent of the dance.

Neoclassical ballet still uses these positions and styles but you will see more advanced leaps and dives taken by the dancers.

Contemporary ballet, or Modern ballet, combines the use of Classical and Neoclassical with that of modern forms of dance. In this form of ballet you will see some of the classical stances but more liberty is taken with the actual movements.

Ballet Terms You Need to Know

There are some key terms that refer to the actual movements of the dance that you should become familiar with.

The Arabesque is the movement where the hind leg is extended and the dancer leans forward over the load bearing leg. This is a classical movement that is practiced in the different forms of ballet.

Attitude is the dance movement most associated with the pointe which is when the ballerina stands on her toes and keeps the other leg up and curved around for flexibility and stability.

The Grand jetis the long jumps that begin on one leg and end on the other leg.

There is an entire alphabet of terms used in ballet that each dancer must come to know along with the positions of the dance. These are just a few of the many terms that you will hear used with this form of dance.

How Long Have You Been Practising Ballet?

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  • Reply
    amanda marie Apr 29, 2010 @ 2:15 pm | delete
    i think you can learn more tips about ballet from the website how ever can a bigger person learn more about ballet or is this not advanced enough for them say if a person want to get tips on ballet she like 14 or 13 she have to use these tips or do she go to an advanced website?~
  • Reply
    goinggreen007 Apr 14, 2010 @ 2:14 am | delete
    this lens is really helpful for getting the basics right.this is really useful to get knowledge about basic ballet positions.really nice video as well.thanks for sharing the information :)
  • Reply
    Netdevourhdk Apr 9, 2010 @ 9:43 am | delete
    Thank you for highlighting the basics in this lens. These insights are very important and I believe without making it right with the basics one can never get anywhere to perfecting ballet. And of course, dancing with the heart! Cheers.
  • Reply
    Martin-Hilt Apr 4, 2010 @ 6:20 pm | delete
    For me I think one of the most difficult is the arabesque. But for sure this is also one of the hardest position in ballet. Thank you for sharing this wonderful lens.
  • Reply
    prosperity66 Mar 29, 2010 @ 8:15 am | delete
    None of them but definitely hated ballet! My teacher was a really demanding person and I considered ballet as leisure and not a potential professional activity; which means that after three years, I left.
    Dom.
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AllAboutBallet

I'm a ballet fan and have been since I went to my first class many (many!) years ago. I hope to share my love of ballet with other ballet enthusiasts.... more »

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