Natasha Pineda
Professor Simone di Pietro Reche
Ballet I
27 August 2013

1. Five positions of the feet
I. First (Premiere)- The feet form one line, heels touching to one another.
II. Second (Seconde)- The feet are in the same line as first position but with a distance of about one foot between the heels.
III. Third (Troisieme)- One foot is in front of the other, heels touching the middle of the other foot.
IV. Fourth (Quatieme)- The placement of the feet is similar to that in third, but the feet are parallel and separated by the length of one foot. This is the classical fourth position but it may also be done with the feet in first position, only separated by the space of one foot. The former is known as quatrieme position croisee, and the later is quatrieme position ouverte. Today the quatrieme position croisee is done with the feet placed in fifth, rather than third, position, parallel and separated by the length of one foot.
V. Fifth (Clinquieme)- The feet are crossed so that the first joint of the big toe shows beyond either heel. Sometimes the feet are completely crossed with the heel of the front foot touches the toe of the back and vice versa.
VI. Sixth- The feet are parallel with the knees, ankle bones, and big toes touching.
2. Positions of the arms(French method): the positions of the arms are not standard in all methods. The Cecchetti method has 5 standard positions. The French school has a preparatory position and five standard positions. The Russian school has a preparatory position and 3 standard positions.
I. Bras au repos- Preparatory position where shoulders are pushed down and arms are down and wrists are about hip-level
II. First- arms are bought up from the preparatory position with fingertips at about level with the belly button. Arms should be rounded as if holding a beach ball.
III. Second- arms are extended from the first position opening out. Shoulders, elbows, and wrists should descend downward.
IV. Third- one arm is in second position while the other is held at a high fifth position
V. Fourth- one arm is extended in high fifth and the other id extended at a first position.
VI. Fifth- arms are extended high from the first position. Arms are raised above the head, shoulders pressed down, arms imitating holding a beach ball
3. Plié - A bending of the knee or knees. There are two principal pliés : a grand plié or full bending of the knees and demi plié or half-bending of the knees.
4. Battement tendu- An exercise where the working foot slides from the first or fifth position to the second or fourth position without lifting the toe from the ground. Both knees are straight, and when the foot reaches the position pointe tendue, it returns to the starting position.
5. Battment degage/jette- This is similar to battment tendue, bit is done at twice the speed and the working foot rises a small amount from the floor with toes pointed. It then slides back into first or fifth.
6. Releve- Raised. A raising of the body on the points or demi-pointes from plié. You can releve smooth and continuous, or with a little spring.
Eleve- A releve but without the plié.
7. Fondu- Sinking down. A lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting leg. It can also be the ending of a step when the working leg is placed on the ground with a soft and gradual movement.
8. Passé/ Retire- Withdrawn. A position were the thigh is raised to the second position with the knee bend and turned out. The toe rests in front of, behind or to the side of the supporting knee.
9. Pas de Bourree- A movement, executed on the balls of the feet or on pointe, in which the you either skim smoothly across the floor or transfer the weight from foot-to-foot three times as a transition into another movement. A pas-de-bourrée consists of bending both legs, extending one, then stepping up, up, down, finishing with bent knees.
10. Grand Battement- The working leg is raised from the hip into the air and brought