Different Positions in dance

Different Positions in dance!




Hey guys! I hope everyone had a great holiday season. The new year is going to be great! Today I’ll be talking about the different basic ballet positions. There are 5 different basic positions everyone should know when starting dance or ballet. You must know these positions because all of the other movements build off of them. Now let’s get onto those positions!

The most basic position of them all is known as first position. Ha-ha get it because we are talking about it first. Well anyways first position is like everyone’s very first dance move. It is easy to learn and anyone can do it. First position leads to many other movements that are easy and also very difficult. “first position: heels together, toes pointed in opposite directions.” (Copeland 36). As Copeland says first position is basically when the heels are touching together and your toes are facing opposite directions.

The next position is called second position. This position is used a lot for ballet technique and is also training your hips to be turned out and open. This also leads to second jumps and a lot of transition work and weight transfer stuff happens in second position. “second position: the same, but with space wide enough to slip two feet between your heels” (Copeland 37). Second position is basically the same as first you just slide out one foot from first.

  Next I’ll explain what is known as third position. Third position is the least used position out of all 5 positions. It is used in the beginner classes as a substitute for fifth position because most beginners don’t have the hip rotation flexibility and turnout to hold fifth position. “third position: the heel of one foot meeting the arch of the other foot” (Copeland 37). For this position you can be in first position and just move one foot and put the heel into the arch of the other foot.



The next position I’ll be talking about is fourth position. Fourth position is also barely used but when it is it helps for jumps, prepping for a turned out ballet pirouette and also transitions. “fourth positon: one foot turned out in front of the other with about a foot of space in between” (Copeland 37). Fourth positon is when you stand in fifth position and tendu forward so that your back foots toes are in line with your front foots heel.



Lastly, you have fifth position. Fifth position is the most used position. Fifth position is used often in the higher levels that have more technique and are advanced since their hips are more flexible and ready to stand in fifth. Fifth is used for jumps, turns, plie’s, tendu’s, transitions. Basically fifth position is used for almost all movements. “fifth position: your feet turned out but crossed in front of each other, parallel like an equal sign.” (Copeland 37). For fifth positon you are basically in fourth but bring your from foot back so your front foot heel is touching your back foot toes.

So that is all 5 positions I hope you learned how to properly execute these positions.

Now my question for you is, do you have different positions in your sport/activity and if so do you have a favorite position and which one is the hardest? Comment down below!

Copeland, Misty, and Charisse Jones. Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina. New York: Touchstone, Published by Simon and Schuster, 2014. Print.