Here are the basic positions and steps we will be incorporating in the first/second year
ballet class. Additionally, there will be a routine or two which are performed when
situations permit.
5 Ballet Positions with Arms and Feet-
Other Ballet Steps
Demi Plie- Bend your knees half way from any of the five ballet positions. Be careful not to let the
heels come off the floor. (Arms may be in any of the five positions.) FOUR COUNTS (TWO
BENDING, TWO STRAIGHTENING)
Grand Plie- Start with one of the 5 positions. Bend your knees fully to where your heels will rise off
the floor. Be careful not to ‘sit’ on the floor. Keep your back straight and keep the position you
originally began in. Continue on my straightening up and ending with straight legs in the original
position. (Arms may be in any of the five positions.) EIGHT COUNTS (FOUR GOING DOWN, FOUR
COMING UP)
Tendu- ‘Massage’ the floor by brushing a pointed toe straight out to where the knee should be
completely straight, your toe should be in line your belly button. (Arms may be in any of the five
positions.) FOUR COUNTS (TWO GOING OUT, TWO COMING IN)
Eleve- Also known as half pointe. Rise to the ball of your foot while in any of the 5 positions. (Arms
may be in any of the five positions) (TWO-FOUR COUNTS, ONE OR TWO RISING UP, ONE OR
TWO GOING DOWN)
Chasse- Starting in fourth position and your arms in second position palms down, slide the foot in
front ahead of your body and keep your heel and toe on the ground make sure your toe is align
with your belly button. Now like a horse, ‘gallop’ by sliding the back leg to meet your front leg (that
you slid first) and take a jump. Your back foot will meet the floor first and the front will slide out
again. Start the process all over! *Note: Chasses’ can be performed to the side* (TWO COUNTS)
Echappe- Starting in fifth position with your right foot in front and your arms in first position. Your
going to jump with pointed toes and land in a demi-plie in second position with your arms in second
position. Remember to open your arms to second position as you jump! Remaining in demi-plie
second position jump back to fifth position although your right foot should now go to the back. Your
knees should be straight whenever you are in fifth position for an Echappe. Remember when a
ballerina jumps her toes must be pointed! (FOUR COUNTS)
Grand Battement- Starting in first position with your arm that is not on the barre in fifth position,
brush the leg that is opposite of the barre frontward as high as you can, extending it to your
maximum ability in the air. When your leg is in the air, make sure your toe is aligned with your belly
button and your knee is straight. Quickly bring your leg back down into first position (don’t slam
your foot into your other foot). Now continue on by brushing your leg to the side extending it to
your maximum ability in the air. When your leg is in the air, make sure your knee is facing the
ceiling. Quickly bring your leg back down. Now continue on by brushing your leg to the back,
extending it to your maximum ability in the air. When you leg is in the air, make sure the barre
cannot see your knee, in other words your knee needs to be turned out. (TWO OR FOUR
COUNTS, ONE OR TWO BRUSHING UP, ONE OR TWO COMING DOWN)
Grand Jete- This step is danced from the corner of the room. With your arms out in second
position. You’re going to take four ballet runs beginning with your right foot and your going to jump
while attempting the splits in the air. You can achieve this by kicking your right foot after the four
runs up into the air, jump, now land this leg in a plie and extend your left leg back. Continue off the
floor by doing four more ballet runs. (TEN COUNTS ALL TOGETHER)
Decashae- Like a tendu, from any position brush a pointed toe out to where the toe can now
longer remain on the floor and keep pointing and brushing as you extend your pointed foot off the
floor to about four inches and now bring your foot back by brushing the floor backwards and close
your foot back into the original position. (Arms may be in any of the five positions.) (FOUR
COUNTS, TWO BRUSHING UP, TWO COMING DOWN)
Pique- Begin with a tendu and lift your pointed toe off the floor by about four inches and then
lower the pointed toe back the floor and brush the foot back into a closed position. (Arms may be
in any of the five positions.) (TWO COUNTS, ONE AND TWO AND)
Chaine- This step is from the corner of the room. Lets say you are in the back right corner as if
you are looking at the stage in the audience. With your hands on your shoulders and your feet in
second position. Turn your body diagonally to the back of the room so your left foot is pointing to
the bottom left corner (as if your are in the audience looking at the stage.) Now pick up your right
foot and spin your body to the way your back was originally facing. *Helpful Hint: your left foot
should spin on eleve as your right foot should remain straight as it spins around to replace where
your left foot was originally facing* Your right foot should now be pointing to the bottom left corner.
Now pick up your left foot and spin your body back into the original position where your right foot
should now be facing the bottom left corner. Be careful not to spin too quickly! (THREE COUNTS)
Port de bra (Side) – While in second position, leaving the right arm on the barre take the left arm
in fifth position and bend it over the right side of your body. Your body should create a half moon
as you stretch your arm towards your right foot. Now straighten your body back out to a straight
position returning your left hand to the barre. Continue the process with your right arms by
extending it to your left making a half moon shape. Return to a straight position with both hands on
the barre. (EIGHT COUNTS)
Cuaze- Term referring to “Corners.” When a dancer is on the dance floor any of the five ballet
positions must face an angle. Cuaze is the corner left or right. This position is usually only used
when a dancer is standing in fifth position. Cuaze left corner in fifth you would have your right foot
in front. Cuaze right corner in fifth you would have your left foot in front.
Efface- Term referring to a dancer facing straightforward on stage. Four ballet positions are
usually facing efface.
ballet class. Additionally, there will be a routine or two which are performed when
situations permit.
5 Ballet Positions with Arms and Feet-
Other Ballet Steps
Demi Plie- Bend your knees half way from any of the five ballet positions. Be careful not to let the
heels come off the floor. (Arms may be in any of the five positions.) FOUR COUNTS (TWO
BENDING, TWO STRAIGHTENING)
Grand Plie- Start with one of the 5 positions. Bend your knees fully to where your heels will rise off
the floor. Be careful not to ‘sit’ on the floor. Keep your back straight and keep the position you
originally began in. Continue on my straightening up and ending with straight legs in the original
position. (Arms may be in any of the five positions.) EIGHT COUNTS (FOUR GOING DOWN, FOUR
COMING UP)
Tendu- ‘Massage’ the floor by brushing a pointed toe straight out to where the knee should be
completely straight, your toe should be in line your belly button. (Arms may be in any of the five
positions.) FOUR COUNTS (TWO GOING OUT, TWO COMING IN)
Eleve- Also known as half pointe. Rise to the ball of your foot while in any of the 5 positions. (Arms
may be in any of the five positions) (TWO-FOUR COUNTS, ONE OR TWO RISING UP, ONE OR
TWO GOING DOWN)
Chasse- Starting in fourth position and your arms in second position palms down, slide the foot in
front ahead of your body and keep your heel and toe on the ground make sure your toe is align
with your belly button. Now like a horse, ‘gallop’ by sliding the back leg to meet your front leg (that
you slid first) and take a jump. Your back foot will meet the floor first and the front will slide out
again. Start the process all over! *Note: Chasses’ can be performed to the side* (TWO COUNTS)
Echappe- Starting in fifth position with your right foot in front and your arms in first position. Your
going to jump with pointed toes and land in a demi-plie in second position with your arms in second
position. Remember to open your arms to second position as you jump! Remaining in demi-plie
second position jump back to fifth position although your right foot should now go to the back. Your
knees should be straight whenever you are in fifth position for an Echappe. Remember when a
ballerina jumps her toes must be pointed! (FOUR COUNTS)
Grand Battement- Starting in first position with your arm that is not on the barre in fifth position,
brush the leg that is opposite of the barre frontward as high as you can, extending it to your
maximum ability in the air. When your leg is in the air, make sure your toe is aligned with your belly
button and your knee is straight. Quickly bring your leg back down into first position (don’t slam
your foot into your other foot). Now continue on by brushing your leg to the side extending it to
your maximum ability in the air. When your leg is in the air, make sure your knee is facing the
ceiling. Quickly bring your leg back down. Now continue on by brushing your leg to the back,
extending it to your maximum ability in the air. When you leg is in the air, make sure the barre
cannot see your knee, in other words your knee needs to be turned out. (TWO OR FOUR
COUNTS, ONE OR TWO BRUSHING UP, ONE OR TWO COMING DOWN)
Grand Jete- This step is danced from the corner of the room. With your arms out in second
position. You’re going to take four ballet runs beginning with your right foot and your going to jump
while attempting the splits in the air. You can achieve this by kicking your right foot after the four
runs up into the air, jump, now land this leg in a plie and extend your left leg back. Continue off the
floor by doing four more ballet runs. (TEN COUNTS ALL TOGETHER)
Decashae- Like a tendu, from any position brush a pointed toe out to where the toe can now
longer remain on the floor and keep pointing and brushing as you extend your pointed foot off the
floor to about four inches and now bring your foot back by brushing the floor backwards and close
your foot back into the original position. (Arms may be in any of the five positions.) (FOUR
COUNTS, TWO BRUSHING UP, TWO COMING DOWN)
Pique- Begin with a tendu and lift your pointed toe off the floor by about four inches and then
lower the pointed toe back the floor and brush the foot back into a closed position. (Arms may be
in any of the five positions.) (TWO COUNTS, ONE AND TWO AND)
Chaine- This step is from the corner of the room. Lets say you are in the back right corner as if
you are looking at the stage in the audience. With your hands on your shoulders and your feet in
second position. Turn your body diagonally to the back of the room so your left foot is pointing to
the bottom left corner (as if your are in the audience looking at the stage.) Now pick up your right
foot and spin your body to the way your back was originally facing. *Helpful Hint: your left foot
should spin on eleve as your right foot should remain straight as it spins around to replace where
your left foot was originally facing* Your right foot should now be pointing to the bottom left corner.
Now pick up your left foot and spin your body back into the original position where your right foot
should now be facing the bottom left corner. Be careful not to spin too quickly! (THREE COUNTS)
Port de bra (Side) – While in second position, leaving the right arm on the barre take the left arm
in fifth position and bend it over the right side of your body. Your body should create a half moon
as you stretch your arm towards your right foot. Now straighten your body back out to a straight
position returning your left hand to the barre. Continue the process with your right arms by
extending it to your left making a half moon shape. Return to a straight position with both hands on
the barre. (EIGHT COUNTS)
Cuaze- Term referring to “Corners.” When a dancer is on the dance floor any of the five ballet
positions must face an angle. Cuaze is the corner left or right. This position is usually only used
when a dancer is standing in fifth position. Cuaze left corner in fifth you would have your right foot
in front. Cuaze right corner in fifth you would have your left foot in front.
Efface- Term referring to a dancer facing straightforward on stage. Four ballet positions are
usually facing efface.
