Basic Positions

     There are five basic positions in classical ballet. These are the foundations of the dance and are important to be learned correctly. The first position is one of the easier and simpler ones. All positions are shown in the diagram above and go from left to right, top to bottom. Second position is almost the same as first, however the legs stand farther apart. Third is similar to fifth and the front foot is not fully in front of the back. In fourth position the feet are separated, one in front of the other, like an open fifth. The ideal fifth position is when the feet are turned out and parallel to each other.    
     When turned out it is important to rotate from the hips rather than the knees or ankles so as to avoid future injury. Any seemingly small bad habits in the particular form of dance can become real problems if one is pursuing a career in the art.