Positions of the feet in ballet

The positions of the feet in ballet is a fundamental part of classical ballet technique that defines standard placements of feet on the floor. There are five basic positions in modern-day classical ballet, known as the first through fifth positions. These five positions were invented by the Italian choreographer Cesare Negri in the late 16th century. Two additional positions, known as the sixth and seventh positions, were codified by Serge Lifar in the 1930s while serving as Ballet Master at the Paris Opéra Ballet, though their use is limited to Lifar's choreographies. The sixth and seventh positions were not Lifar's inventions, but revivals of positions that already existed in the eighteenth century, when there were ten positions of the feet in classical ballet.

Five basic positions

All of the five basic positions require the feet to be flat on the floor and turned out (pointing in opposite directions as a result of rotating the legs at the hips).

First position