Education & Community Engagement
Ballet Glossary
The positions of the feet
Pieds (les cinq positions des ~) [lay senk paw-zee-SYAWN day pyay]
This is French for “the five positions of the feet.” These include:
- First position, with the heels placed together and
the legs turned out from the hips forming a straight
line with the feet.
- Second position, in which the feet are placed a
hips-width apart with heels pointing toward each other
and toes turned out to the sides again from the
hips
- Third position, where one foot is placed directly in
front of the other with the heel touching the arch of
the other foot and the legs turned out from the
hips
- Fourth position, in which the feet are placed about
12 inches apart with one heel placed in line with the
toes on the other foot and the legs are turned out from
the hips
- Fifth position, in which the heel of the front foot
touches the toes of the back foot and the legs are again
turned out from the hips