1st position is the most basic ballet position which is the basis for all other positions. In 1st position of the feet, the heels are together, and the feet are turned outwards, resembling how people often mimic a penguin's stance. This turnout originates from the hips, rotating the legs outward. Ideally, the feet should form a straight line with the toes pointing in opposite directions, achieving a 180-degree turnout.

For 1st position of the arms in ballet, the arms are held in a circular shape in front of the body, at the level of the navel, with the elbows lifted to the side. Picture yourself hugging a beach ball. The middle fingers do not touch, maintaining a space approximately a hand's breadth between the opposite fingertips. This arm position is essential for many movements, including most pirouettes.

Photo: Vadim Muntagirov standing in 1st position facing the barre.

2nd position of the feet is exactly the same as 1st position but with the heels of the feet placed hip width apart. The turnout is also maintained from the hips and tops of the legs.

In 2nd position of the arms, the arms are extended to the side of the body, slightly sloping down from the shoulders. Imagine if a drop of sweat fell from your earlobe, it would gently follow the slope of your arm and drip off your fingertip. Achieving this position can be challenging due to the opposing rotations of the upper and lower arms. The upper arm is rotated upwards from the shoulder to the elbow to ensure the elbow is lifted and not drooping (often referred to as "chicken wings" in ballet slang). Meanwhile, the lower arm is rotated downwards from the elbow to the wrist and hand, allowing the hand to face forwards rather than the floor. This creates a beautiful curve, the ideal aesthetic for this position. Ballet teachers often remind students to keep their arms in front of them in second position to avoid allowing the arms to go too far to the side, causing the elbows to end up behind the body. The elbow should be slightly in front of the line of your body to the side, with the wrist and hand further forward than that. See also "Á la seconde".

Photo: Misha Barkidjija facing the barre doing a plié in 2nd position.

3rd position of the feet in ballet involves placing one foot in front of the other, with the heel of the front foot aligned with and touching the middle of the back foot. Both feet are turned out, similar to the 1st and 2nd positions. While rarely used by professional dancers, 3rd position is primarily employed in the training of young dancers to prepare them for dancing in 5th position. 3rd position mimics 5th position but is less crossed, reducing strain on the knees. Correct practice in 3rd position helps build the necessary muscles for safely executing 5th position.

In 3rd position of the arms, one arm is placed in 1st position while the other is in 2nd position. This position is vital as a preparatory stance for movements like pirouettes and double tours where the arm in 1st position opens to the side, followed by both arms closing to the 1st position at great speed. This coordinated movement generates much of the force required to initiate these complex ballet movements.

Photo: Sarah Kundi demonstrating 3rd position of the feet.

4th position of the feet in ballet involves placing one foot in front of the other, as in 5th position. However, in 4th position, the front foot is not touching the back foot but is positioned approximately one foot's length ahead of the back foot without touching it. When standing in this position, the body weight is evenly distributed between both feet, though certain movements may require shifting weight more onto one foot. An example of this is during preparation for pirouettes en dedans, where the weight is centred on the front leg for the relevé.

4th position of the arms in ballet features one arm raised overhead in 5th position, while the other arm is extended to the side in 2nd position. Additionally, there is a "4th crossed" position whereby one arm is in 5th position and the other in 1st position in front of the body. This crossed position is typically used as a transitional movement or to add expression within choreography.

Photo: Sarah Kundi demonstrating 4th position of the feet with her arm in 2nd position.

The 5th position of the feet in ballet is the most frequently used position of the feet in classical choreography, serving as the default starting point for nearly any movement. To achieve this position, place one foot in front of the other, with both feet turned out. The toes of the front foot should point in the opposite direction of the back foot, with the heel of the front foot aligned with the toes of the back foot, and vice versa.

5th position of the arms in ballet forms an oval-shaped frame around the head and face. The arms are positioned above the head but slightly in front, allowing the dancer to see their little fingers in their peripheral vision. The elbows are pushed back to the sides to create width in the frame created by the arms. As in 1st position, the fingers do not touch.

Photo: Vadim Muntagirov standing at the barre with his feet in 5th position and his arm in bras bas.

The literal translation is "to second" which in ballet lingo means "in second position".

When a step is done "à la seconde", it is done to the side of the body. 

Photo: Natascha Mair with her leg extended in à la seconde. Her arm is also in 2nd position.

"À terre" means "on the floor" and is used in exercises like rond de jambe à terre, indicating that the movement is performed with the foot touching the floor. In contrast, rond de jambe en l'air is executed in the air.

Photo: Olga Evreinoff teaches ballet class to Anna Sheleg and Joakim Visnes who are standing at the barre with their legs in tendu to the back. The position is à terre, "on the floor". That said, a tendu is always touching the floor.

The term "Adage," also known by its Italian counterpart "Adagio," means "slowly, at ease." In ballet class, adage is one of the fundamental exercises which comes at the end of barre (before grand battement), and then is also the first or second exercise in centre practice. It involves slow, controlled movements that emphasise leg extensions, known as "développé," to at least 90 degrees in all directions: front, side, and back.

In classical ballet repertoire, "Adage" also refers to a segment within a grand pas de deux where the principal dancers perform partnering work together. For instance, in The Sleeping Beauty Act III, Princess Aurora and Prince Desiré perform the grand pas de deux. This begins with the Adage, followed by Prince Desiré's solo, then Princess Aurora's solo, and culminates in the Coda, where both dancers reenter individually before concluding their performance by partnering together.

Photo: Mackenzie Brown performing a développé to à la seconde in an adage exercise within centre practice.

In ballet, allegro almost always refers to jumps. The word is a term used for quick, lively, and brisk movements. In music, allegro is an Italian term meaning "lively" or "cheerful" that indicates a fast and bright tempo. Concerning jumps, allegro encompasses both small, fast jumps which are known as petit allegro and large, traveling jumps, known as grand allegro. In a ballet class, allegro refers to the jumping section of class which is the third part which comes after barre and centre practice when dancers are most warm.

Photo: Victor Caixeta mid-jump performing an Échappé to 2nd position in ballet class. His arms are in 2nd position.

Allongé comes from the French meaning "elongated". In classical ballet, the term allongé primarily refers to the extension and elongation of the arms, moving away from the typical soft curve. This graceful movement most often begins with the arms in the 2nd position, where the hand rotates palm down to face the floor, extending the fingertips while the elbow rotates downward to lengthen the arm. Allongé can be performed with both arms simultaneously or with one arm. The head and eyes follow the line created by the allongé, tracing over the fingertips, resulting in a visually captivating aesthetic. It is also done from many other positions such as 5th position. At the end of ballet class exercises, you should allongé your working arm before closing the arm to bras bas. The opposite of allongé is arrondi meaning "rounded" which refers tom the position of the hand although it is rarely used amongst dancers.

Photo: Céline Gittens performing an arabesque with her arms in allongé while rehearsing the Rose Adage from The Sleeping Beauty Act I.

In classical ballet, arabesque refers to a position in which a dancer stands on one leg and lifts the other leg directly behind themselves without bending the knee. The word arabesque comes from the French meaning "in Arabic fashion". It is used in ballet because the term originally described intricate, flowing patterns found in Arabic art and architecture. In the 17th century, the term was adopted into ballet to describe a pose that creates a flowing, graceful line with the dancer's body, though the straight lines of the ballet pose differ from the curved patterns in Arabic art. The arabesque pose requires a dancer to stand on one leg while extending the other leg straight behind them, with the front arm reaching forwards in a harmonious line, symbolising grace and elegance.

The leg upon which the dancer is standing is called "the supporting leg" and the leg which is raised to arabesque is called "the working leg". The foot of the supporting leg can be flat or raised to demi-pointe or en pointe for ballerinas wearing pointe shoes.

If the working leg in arabesque is bent, it becomes an attitude position, with different arm placements. There are various types of arabesques, depending on which leg is lifted, which arm is extended forward, and the angle or floor position relative to the front. The most common form is 1st Arabesque.

Photo: Mackenzie Brown standing in 1st arabesque.

In classical ballet, an assemblé is a jump that begins on one foot, joins in the air with the second foot, and lands on both feet. The term "assemblé" in French means "assembled," and in ballet terminology, it is often described as "joining in the air." This movement is also a part of the allegro section in ballet class, where assemblés are practiced as an exercise.

To perform an assemblé, start in 5th position. Begin by pliéing both legs and then, with the back leg (referred to as the "working leg"), execute a battement dégagé by brushing it out to the side and extending it. The extended leg "throws" off the floor to a height of 45 degrees. At this point, initiate the jump with the supporting leg, which is still on the floor. As you jump and the supporting leg leaves the floor, assemble both stretched legs in the air, with feet together in 5th position with pointed toes. Finally, land in 5th position equally on both legs, with the working leg now in front compared to where you started. This can also be done "reversed" where the front foot initiates the assemblé.

A more challenging variation of this step is beaten assemblés. This is similar to the previously described move but includes an additional beat of the feet in the air before landing. Essentially, it requires a change of the feet mid-air. Instead of the working leg immediately closing in 5th position in the air in front, it first closes in 5th position behind the supporting leg, then quickly switches to 5th position in front before landing.

The advanced version of this step is the double assemblé. Initially, it involves performing two assemblés consecutively with the same leg without pausing. The working leg beats front to back, landing in the fifth position from where it started, and then immediately repeats the assemblé, beating back to front, landing in the fifth position in front. This technique is commonly utilised in advanced ballet classes.

The term double assemblé also describes a virtuoso step for male dancers. After a run-up of two steps, the working leg is thrown to the front rather than the side. As the supporting leg joins the working leg in the fifth position, the dancer executes two rotations in the air before landing. A notable example of this is seen in Albrecht's Solo in Giselle Act II as a single double assemblé. It is perhaps most famously performed in the Shades scene from La Bayadère Act III, where Solor completes a manège (circle) of eight double assemblés in a row around the entire stage.

Photo: Olga Evreinoff teaches an assemblé combination to Carolina Rodriguez and Giuseppe Ventura.

In classical ballet, the attitude position is similar to an arabesque but features a bent knee. Unlike the arabesque, an attitude can be performed to the front (devant), side (à la seconde), or back (derrière), with the latter being most common. To execute an attitude to the back, stand on one leg, known as the supporting leg, while the other leg, referred to as the working leg, is raised behind you and turned out. Unlike an arabesque, the knee is bent to form an angle of no less than 90° between the upper and lower leg. The precise angle can vary depending on the ballet school; for instance, Russian schooling often favours a more elongated attitude. Throughout the position, it is crucial to keep the knee of the working leg lifted and turned out. While doing attitudes, the arms are almost always in 4th position creating a half frame for the face.

Photo: Jurgita Dronnina performs an attitude en pointe.

In ballet, a battement refers to the extension of the leg to the front, side, or back, either repeatedly or as a single movement. Although the term battement is French for "beating," a more accurate "ballet lingo" translation would be to "extend" or "throw." In ballet, the term battement is often used on its own to describe the action of throwing the leg in a certain direction. It is also used in combination with other movement names, such as "battement tendu," which translates from French to "stretched beating". However, dancers commonly abbreviate these terms, referring to battement tendu simply as "tendu."

There are various types of battements, ranging from small beats to large, sweeping motions like the grand battement. These movements are essential for developing a dancer's strength, flexibility, and coordination.

Types of Battements:

1. Battement tendu ("stretched beating"): The working foot slides along the floor to the front, side, or back to a full extension, with the toes remaining in contact with the ground.

2. Battement jeté ("thrown beating"): The working foot slides along the floor to the front, side, or back to a full extension, with the toes lifting off the ground to about 25 degrees.

3. Battement dégagé ("disengaged beating"): A quick, flicking movement where the working foot brushes the floor and lifts slightly off the ground.

4. Battement frappé ("struck beating"): The foot is extended from a flexed position, striking the floor or calf with the ball of the foot.

5. Grand battement ("large beating"): A high extension of the entire leg, which is lifted and then brought down in a controlled sweep, often reaching as near to 180 degrees as possible.

6. Petit battement sur le cou-de-pied ("small beating on the instep"): A rapid series of small, beating movements of the working foot against the ankle of the supporting leg.

Each type of battement plays a crucial role in a dancer's training, contributing to their overall technical proficiency and artistry.

Photo: Victor Caixeta performing a battement tendu to écarté.