1. Ballet 1
Ms. Beristain

2. Ballet Positions
In ballet, there are five basic positions of the feet, numbered one through five.  Each of the positions utilizes turn-out, or a 90-degree rotation of the leg from the hip joint.
1st Position: first position in ballet is a position of the feet where a dancer is standing with their heels together and toes facing equally out to either side.  For a beginner, its best just to think of the heels as needing to touch, but for more advanced dancers, no more than 2 inches should be between the heels. Feet and legs should be easily turned out.

3. First Position

4. 2nd Position: Very similar to first, just with the feet about hip distance apart.  The same ideas as first position are true for second, where you want to have the feet and legs equally turned out.  Its important not to have your second position too wide that its not useful, or too narrow that it looks closer to a first position.
4th Position: To stand in fourth position, place one foot in front of the other, about a foot’s distance apart. Like second position do to have too wide of a fourth position that its not useful, or too narrow that it is confused with a “wide” fifth position. Lining the heel of the front foot with the toes of the back.

5. 5th Position: Stand with your feet close together, one in front of the other and turned out away from the body. Must turn out from the hips.
Try to keep equal turn out with your legs and feet.
Your turnout doesn’t need to be “perfect.”  Its more important that you can stand safely and confidently in each position so you can use them for more difficult steps.
Try to keep both of your feet evenly flat on the floor.  You shouldn’t be rolling your feet or ankles to standing in a basic ballet position.

6. Fifth Position

7. Ballet Vocabulary:
Plie: Bending at the knees. They are typically done in 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th positions in classical ballet, both at the barre and center in classes.  A plie helps provide the proper cushioning when landing from jumps, keeping the dancer from becoming easily injured and able to dance very long ballets and dances.
Releve: is a classical ballet term meaning “raised.”  It describes the action when a dancer rises up and seemingly is standing “on their toes”
Demi: is a classical ballet term meaning “half.” For example, demi-plie, means “half bend at the knees.”  

8. Grand: a classical ballet term meaning “big” or “large
Grand: a classical ballet term meaning “big” or “large.”  It is always used to describe another step. For example “grand-plie”
Developpe: a classical ballet term meaning “to develop,” or “developing movement.” It is a movement where the dancer’s working leg is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg and extended to an open position. As the working leg is brought up, the standing leg is typically straight while also keeping the hips level. 
Fondu: a classical ballet term meaning “sinking down.”  It describes both the movement and the quality of a dancer where they are doing a plié on a single leg.  If you think of a plié being for two legs, a fondu is the same, just for one

9. Pas de chat: is a classical ballet term meaning “cat’s step
Pas de chat: is a classical ballet term meaning “cat’s step.”  It gets its name because the step resembles how a cat jumps. Starting in fifth position with the right foot in back, the dancer pliés then jumps with the right leg going into a passe quickly followed by the left leg moving into passe.  For a moment, the dancer is in the air with both legs in high passe.
Passe:  is a classical ballet term meaning “passed.”  It refers to the movement when a dancer goes through a retiré position, which is when one leg is bent so it looks like a triangle with the foot placed near the other leg’s knee.
Sous-sus: in fifth position - spring releve to crossed fifth.
Echappe: is a classical ballet term meaning “escaping.” A dancer does an echappe with their legs and feet.  Starting in a closed position, usually fifth position with the feet, the dancer slides both feet out equally into either second or fourth position.
Changement: to change - jump in fifth or third position, changing which foot is in front.

10. Jete: (thrown) brush a tendu a little harder until leg/foot comes up off floor to about 45 degrees. Also taught at 25 degrees
Ron de Jambe: round of the leg - tendu front, make a circle toward side with toe, then toward back or back side, front.
Frappe: to strike
Cambre: is a classical ballet term meaning “arched.” The body is bent from the waist and stretching backward or sideways with the head following the movement of the upper body and arms.
Coupe: term meaning “cut” or “cutting.” A coupé describes a step where one foot cuts the other foot away, taking its place.
Glissade: term meaning “glide.”  It is a traveling, usually small, jump that is usually used to link other steps together. A dancer performs a glissade by plieing in fifth position, sliding (or gliding) one foot out into a degage side. 

11. Pirouette: is a classical ballet term meaning “spin
Pirouette: is a classical ballet term meaning “spin.”  It describes when a dancer is turning around one leg with the other off the ground and in a position, most commonly in passé.
Spotting: describes the action of a dancer’s head while turning.  Learning how to spot correctly is a very important part of technique in all forms of dance, especially in classical ballet. When spotting correctly, a dancer becomes much less dizzy.
Sickling: ballet term that is used to describe a dancer’s foot that is incorrectly placed or pointed, causing it to look curved inwards when looking at the front view of the leg. 
Turn out: a rotation of the leg that comes from the hips, causing the knee and foot to turn outward, away from the center of the body.

12. Grand Battement: like tendu and jèté, brush foot on floor, but with more energy so that it becomes a big, straight leg kick.
Tendu: gradually extending the working leg to the front, side, or back, passing from flat to demi-pointe to point where only the toes are touching the floor
Port de bras - an exercise designed to develop graceful movement and disposition of the arms, typically involving a bend accompanied by arm movement.
Chaines - a series of short usually fast turns by which a ballet dancer moves across the stage.