How to Learn Body Positions for Advanced Ballet

Co-authored by Geraldine Grace Johns

Last Updated: January 1, 2021

Learning the basic body positions for advanced ballet can be tricky, and may, at times, seem pointless. As you continue your training, though, you will likely find that your memorization of these positions goes a long way toward helping you learn choreography and combinations easily and helps you to adapt to different styles of ballet. In this article, the Cecchetti names are used, but the positions have only slight variations when transitioning into different styles-- Vaganova, Royal Academy of Dancing or RAD, Balanchine and Bournonville.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Master the devant (front) positions

1
Learn the croisé devant position, which mean "crossed" and "in front". The audience should see a crossed line with the leg or foot placed in front of the body. To perform a tendu croisé devant, place your right foot in a tendu front facing corner eight, and the left in a turned out position, toes to corner six. Place your arms in high third, with the left arm up (high fifth) and the right in second. The head should be open, and looking out towards the audience, or your right arm. Your teacher may also ask you to tilt your head slightly to follow your line.
2
Learn à la quatrième devant or en face devant, which means a tendu front facing the front wall, or audience. Take a tendu front, facing the audience, and bring your arms into second. Look forward and keep your head upright.
3
Learn effacé (devant), which translates to "shaded", creating an open line. Demonstrate a tendu effacé devant by facing corner eight with your left foot front. Take a tendu devant, and place your arms in high third wit the right arm up. Use your head by looking just past the wrist of the upper arm.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Master the derrière (back) positions

1
Learn croisé derrière, the opposite of croisé devant. Start with the right foot front, facing corner eight in fifth position. Extend the left foot into tendu back, and place the arms in high third, the right arm in high fifth and the left in second. Look underneath the right or upper arm, with a sight tilt in the head.
2
To learn à la quatrième derrière, use the same body facing and head as à la quatrième devant with the foot in tendu derrière (back).
3
Learn épaulé, which can also be defined as effacé derrière or second arabesque. Stand in fifth position facing corner eight with the left foot front, and tendu the right foot to the back. Put your left arm is to the side, palms down, and stretch the right arm out in front of the nose, also with the palms down.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Master the à la seconde (side) positions

1
Learn écarté devant, which means "separated". Execute this position by starting in fifth position facing corner eight. Tendu your right foot out to the side, so that it is facing corner two. Place the arms in high third, same arm as leg (which in this case means right arm up in high fifth and left arm in second). Incorporate the head by turning the face to look at the palm or wist of the upper arm.
2
Learn à la seconde, which means "to the side". Face the front, and with the arms in second, tendu the right foot to the side.
3
Learn écarté derrière, one of the trickiest positions. Perform this position by facing corner eight with the right foot front. Tendu the left foot out to the side, towards corner six. Put your left arm in high fifth, and your right arm in second. Look down over the right arm, and if your teacher allows it, tilt slightly towards the open arm.

Community Q&A

Question

What are some easy ways I can improve my body positions?

Geraldine Grace Johns
Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor
Geraldine Grace Johns is a Professional Ballerina and the Owner of Grace Ballet in New York and Los Angeles. Geraldine toured through New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Korea as Jammes in Ken Hill's Original Phantom of the Opera. She has studied with the Royal Academy of Dance in London and taught for the Kudo School of Ballet in Yokohama. Geraldine also ran her own Royal Academy of Dance School in New Zealand before studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. Geraldine was a guest coach and Master Class teacher in Toronto for the Canadian Royal Academy of Dance's "Dance Challenge" in 2018, 2019, and 2020. She was also a guest coach and Master Class teacher for the USA Royal Academy of Dance Challenge in Long Beach, California in 2019 and 2020.

Geraldine Grace Johns

Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor

Expert Answer

Try taking regular classes and practicing in a mirror until your line is correct.