Ballet Terms

Front 1

Feet turned out from the hip; heels together

Back 1

First position (première)

Front 2

Feet turned out from the hip, 1 to 1 ½ the length of the dancer's foot apart

Back 2

Second position (seconde)

Front 3

Front foot placed in the hallow of instep of the back foot

Back 3

Third position (troisième)

Front 4

Ouverte (open): One foot placed in front of the other length of the dancer’s foot apart. First position with one foot moved forward Croisèe (crossed): One foot placed in front of the other, length of dancers foot apart Fifth position with the front foot moved forward

Back 4

Fourth position (quatrième)

Front 5

One foot is placed in front of and touching the other foot, the heel of the front foot is crossed with the big toe joint of the back foot.

Back 5

Fifth position (cinquième)

Front 6

both arms are rounded with the fingers almost touching, with both hands curved by the side of the body, fingertips lightly touching the side of the thigh

Back 6

Bras bas (or 'bras au repos')
French Method

Front 7

Arms are slightly rounded in front of the body, the small fingers just in front of the thighs

Back 7

Position de départ / position préparatoire
French Method

Front 8

maintaining this curved oval shape, the arms are brought up so that the tips of the fingers are in line with the diaphragm

Back 8

First position
French Method

Front 9

the arms are stretched out to the side, however there is an angle of the arms down and forward, and the palms are facing forward. The elbow is slightly lower than the shoulder and the wrist is slightly lower than the elbow

Back 9

Second position
French Method

Front 10

one arm is in second position, while the other is rounded and raised above the head

Back 10

Third position (bras en attitude)
French Method

Front 11

one arm is in first position (in front of the diaphragm), while the other is rounded and raised above the head

Back 11

Fourth position
French Method

Front 12

both arms are rounded and held just above and slightly forward of the dancer's head, fingertips slightly apart

Back 12

Fifth position (or 'bras en couronne')
French Method

Front 13

both arms are rounded with the fingers almost touching, with both hands just in front of the dancer's hips

Back 13

Bras bas (or preparatory position)
Vaganova or Russian Method

Front 14

maintaining this curved oval shape, the arms are brought up so that the tips of the fingers are in line with the navel, and no higher than the sternum

Back 14

First position
Vaganova or Russian Method

Front 15

the arms are stretched out to the side, however there is an angle of the arms down and forward, and the palms are facing forward. The elbow is slightly lower than the shoulder and the wrist is level with the elbow

Back 15

Second position
Vaganova or Russian Method

Front 16

the arms are as in the first position, but raised above and slightly in front of the dancer's head

Back 16

Third position
Vaganova or Russian Method

Front 17

both arms are slightly rounded with the fingers almost touching, with both hands just in front of the dancer's thighs; it is equivalent (but not identical) to the 'preparatory position' of the Russian and French schools

Back 17

First position
Cecchetti method

Front 18

A position intermediate between the first and the second position, arms are held halfway between first and second, palms facing front

Back 18

Half-second position (demi-seconde)
Cecchetti method

Front 19

The arms are stretched out to the side, however there is an angle of the arms down and forward, and the palms are facing forward. The elbow is slightly lower than the shoulder and the wrist is slightly lower than the elbow.

Back 19

Second position
Cecchetti method

Front 20

one arm is in the first position, while the other is in a position intermediate between the first and the second position ('demi-seconde')

Back 20

Third position
Cecchetti method

Front 21

Fourth 'en avant' (in front): one arm is in second position, while the other is in fifth en avant (opposite the diaphragm).
Fourth 'en haut' (high): one arm is in second position, while the other is in fifth position en haut (above and in front of the head)

Back 21

Fourth position
Cecchetti method

Front 22

the arms are rounded to form an oval shape
en bas: arms are down in front of the body, the small fingers in front of the thigh, palms facing in
en avant: both arms are rounded in front opposite of the diaphragm, palms facing in
en haut: Both arms curved above the dancers head so the fingertips can be seen in the dancer's peripheral vision

Back 22

Fifth position
Cecchetti method

Front 23

Arms open slightly from the elbow wrists turned up

Back 23

Offering

Front 24

From 4th position the front arm is brought into body
The elbow and fingertips are slightly lower than the wrists with the other arm extended slightly behind the body with the palms facing down

Back 24

Pas de chat

Front 25

Whole foot resting flat on the ground

Back 25

Pied à terre / pied à plat

Front 26

Heel raised just off the floor

Back 26

Pied à quart (quarter pointe)

Front 27

Heel raised just enough to transfer the weight on to the ball of the foot

Back 27

Pied à demi

Front 28

Heels lifted as high as possible while the toes are flat on the floor

Back 28

Pied à trois quarts

Front 29

Full Pointe, weight supported on the end of the toes and the instep fully stretched

Back 29

Sur les pointes / pied à pointe

Front 30

Touching the ground

Back 30

À terre / par terre

Front 31

the arms are as in the first position, but raised above and slightly in front of the dancer's head

Back 31

Third position
Vaganova or Russian Method

Front 32

both arms are slightly rounded with the fingers almost touching, with both hands just in front of the dancer's thighs; it is equivalent (but not identical) to the 'preparatory position' of the Russian and French schools

Back 32

First position
Cecchetti method

Front 33

A position intermediate between the first and the second position, arms are held halfway between first and second, palms facing front

Back 33

Half-second position (demi-seconde)
Cecchetti method

Front 34

The arms are stretched out to the side, however there is an angle of the arms down and forward, and the palms are facing forward. The elbow is slightly lower than the shoulder and the wrist is slightly lower than the elbow.

Back 34

Second position
Cecchetti method

Front 35

one arm is in the first position, while the other is in a position intermediate between the first and the second position ('demi-seconde')

Back 35

Third position
Cecchetti method

Front 36

'en avant' (in front): one arm is in second position, while the other is in opposite the diaphragm.
'en haut' (high): one arm is in second position, while the other is above and in front of the head

Back 36

Fourth position
Cecchetti method

Front 37

the arms are rounded to form an oval shape
en bas: arms are down in front of the body, the small fingers in front of the thigh, palms facing in
en avant: both arms are rounded in front opposite of the diaphragm, palms facing in
en haut: Both arms curved above the dancers head so the fingertips can be seen in the dancer's peripheral vision

Back 37

Fifth position
Cecchetti method

Front 38

Arms open slightly from the elbow wrists turned up

Back 38

Offering

Front 39

From 4th position the front arm is brought into body
The elbow and fingertips are slightly lower than the wrists with the other arm extended slightly behind the body with the palms facing down

Back 39

Pas de chat

Front 40

Whole foot resting flat on the ground

Back 40

Pied à terre / pied à plat

Front 41

Heel raised just off the floor

Back 41

Pied à quart (quarter pointe)

Front 42

Heel raised just enough to transfer the weight on to the ball of the foot

Back 42

Pied à demi

Front 43

Heels lifted as high as possible while the toes are flat on the floor

Back 43

Pied à trois quarts

Front 44

Full Pointe, weight supported on the end of the toes and the instep fully stretched

Back 44

Sur les pointes / pied à pointe

Front 45

Touching the ground

Back 45

À terre / par terre

Front 46

Leg raised at 45°

Back 46

En l'air demi-position / À la demi-hauteur

Front 47

Leg raised to hip height / 90° or greater

Back 47

En l'air a la hauteur

Front 48

To the front

Back 48

Devant

Front 49

to the side

Back 49

À la seconde

Front 50

Front, side, back, and side; In the shape of half a cross

Back 50

En croix

Front 51

Outwards; away; semi-circular movement “out the door”

Back 51

En Dehors

Front 52

Towards the supporting leg

Back 52

En Dedans

Front 53

Front leg opens to the side and ends front

Back 53

Devant

Front 54

Back leg opens to the side and ends back

Back 54

Derrière

Front 55

Back leg opens to the side and finishes to the front

Back 55

Dessus

Front 56

Front leg opens to the side and finishes in back

Back 56

Dessous

Front 57

Front leg opens to the front and finishes to the front

Back 57

En Avant

Front 58

Opens to the back and ends in the back

Back 58

En Arrière

Front 59

On the spot without traveling

Back 59

Sur place

Front 60

Traveling forwards

Back 60

En Avant / En Descendant

Front 61

Traveling backwards

Back 61

En Arrière / En Remoutant

Front 62

Sideways to the dancers left or right

Back 62

De Côté

Front 63

On a diagonal across the space

Back 63

En Diagonale

Front 64

A step or combination traveling in a circle

Back 64

En Manège

Front 65

Working foot placed on the ankle of the supporting leg

Back 65

En Sur le Cou de Pied

Front 66

Foot wrapped around with the heel forward and toes back

Back 66

En Sur le Cou de Pied Devant

Front 67

Working foot is maintained, heel is placed behind the supporting ankle

Back 67

Sur le Cou de Pied Derrière

Front 68

At the knee

Back 68

Retiré /Raccourci

Front 69

To the front of the supporting knee

Back 69

Devant

Front 70

To the back of the supporting knee

Back 70

Derrière

Front 71

Front foot drawn up to the front of the leg, to the side of the knee, and lowered behind

Back 71

Passè en Arrière

Front 72

From back to front

Back 72

Passè en Avant

Front 73

Erect, Raised, Lowered, Inclined/Tilted, and Turned

Back 73

Positions of the Head

Front 74

The upper body is turned from the waist with the head turned over the shoulder

Back 74

Épaulement

Front 75

In fifth, same shoulder as leg is bought forward

Back 75

Croisé

Front 76

Upper body is turned away from the working leg with the head turned over the front shoulder

Back 76

Effacé