5 Ballet Arm Positions That Your Little Dancer Should Know

Answer Summary: The five ballet arm positions give young dancers a map for where their arms belong: first curves both arms into an oval in front of the body, second opens them to the sides, third keeps one arm front and one side, fourth lifts one arm overhead while the other stays in front or out to the side, and fifth raises both into a soft crown. Ballet arm positions are easier for kids to learn through playful imagery, like holding a beach ball or hugging a giant tree.

Key Takeaways

• Arm movement in ballet is called port de bras, French for "carriage of the arm." Positions are the home bases; port de bras is how arms travel between them.

• Many teachers use imagery with young dancers: a beach ball for first, bird wings for second, a brick on the shoulders in fourth.

• Numbering varies by training method. The Vaganova (Russian) system counts only three positions, so "third position" can mean different shapes at different studios.

• French ballet terminology also uses en bas (low), en avant (front), and en haut (high) to describe where the arms are held.

What Port de Bras Means (and Why Arms Matter)

In a class of five-year-olds, the feet get the attention and arms trail along, so a little arm practice at home stands out. Ballet calls this part of the training port de bras, which Merriam-Webster defines as "the technique and practice of arm movement in ballet," from the French for "carriage of the arm." The American Ballet Theatre ballet dictionary adds that arms move from the shoulder, not the elbow, and pass through a position it calls the "gateway" on their way up or down. The positions are the destinations; port de bras is the journey between them.

The five foot positions have their own guide: simple ballet positions kids can practice at home. For now, let your dancer stand comfortably and focus on the arms alone.

Two Warm-Up Games That Make Arm Practice Easier

Many teachers want arms to move as if the air were a little thicker than it is. Two games teach that feeling.

The water game. In the pool or the bath, have her sweep her hands and forearms slowly through the water, noticing how it pushes back. That slight drag resembles the quality teachers often ask for on dry land.

Simon Says, hands edition. Ballet hands are soft, not stiff. Shake one hand loose, stretch the pointer finger long, then the pinky, tuck the thumb toward the palm, float the wrist up, hold for ten, shake it out.

The 5 Ballet Arm Positions, Step by Step

Here is each of the five arm positions in ballet, with imagery for kids, common mistakes, and a cue to borrow. Many studios teach this French-style one-to-five numbering; if your child's teacher counts differently, many shapes still recur, and a later section explains the mix-up.

First Position: The Beach Ball

Both arms curve into an oval in front of the body, fingertips a few inches apart, hands level with the belly button. Ask your child to pretend she is holding a big beach ball or a watermelon against her tummy. In French-style numbering, first is a common starting shape; the resting position below it is bras bas, arms low.

Common mistakes: elbows sagging so the ball "deflates," or fingertips pressed together. Cue: keep air in the beach ball, with a small window between the fingertips.

Second Position: Open Wings

From first, the arms open out to the sides. Picture a bird calmly spreading its wings, or palms pushing two heavy doors open. The trap is the capital T: arms held straight out like a scarecrow look stiff and tire fast. Instead they stay gently rounded, slope downward slightly from shoulder to fingertip, and sit a touch in front of the body. Watch for shoulders creeping toward the ears and arms drifting behind the back; a handy cue is to "pour a drop of water off each fingertip" for the soft slope.

Third Position Ballet Arms: One Front, One Side

Have your child switch sides slowly, like seaweed in a current, and see how "watery" she can make the swap. That slow exchange is her first real port de bras. What she is trading between is third position: one arm stays curved in front of the body (as in first) while the other opens to the side (as in second). According to French for Dancers, the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the French school share this shape.

A heads-up: search "3rd position ballet arms" and you will find two different shapes, because third is the most inconsistently named arm position. The section below sorts it out.

Common mistakes: the front arm creeping up toward the chest, and losing track of which arm is which mid-switch. Cue: the front arm keeps hugging the beach ball; a mirror helps.

Fourth Position: One Arm Overhead

One arm lifts overhead, still rounded, fingers floating toward the ceiling rather than reaching rigidly. The other arm depends on the studio. In the open (ordinary) fourth it rests out to the side, as in second; in the crossed fourth it stays curved in front at beach-ball height. French for Dancers describes both and notes RAD calls the front version "Fourth Position Crossed," so ask which one your teacher uses. The lifted arm loves to drag its shoulder up with it, so try an imaginary brick resting across the shoulders, heavy enough that they stay put while the arm floats up without them.

Common mistakes: a hiked shoulder under the raised arm, and a locked elbow overhead. Cue: shoulders wear the brick, and the raised arm floats up like a balloon on a string.

Fifth Position Ballet Arms: The Crown

Both arms rise overhead into a gentle oval, like the beach ball lifted high, or a crown. Ask your child to grow tall like a tree, fingertips soft and almost touching. Fifth position asks the most from the core and shoulders, so younger dancers do better holding the oval slightly lower and a bit forward rather than straining for a vertical line.

Watch for arms behind the head and a chin tilting up to peek at the hands. Cue: let the oval frame her face like a picture frame, with the hands just inside her peripheral vision.

Quick Reference: Ballet Positions With Arms

Why Third Position Arms Confuse Everyone

Sooner or later your child insists third position is one arm front and one arm side, while a video says it is both arms overhead. Both can be right, because each major training method numbers the arm positions its own way. The American Ballet Theatre dictionary gives the counts: the Cecchetti (Italian) method has five standard positions plus a derivative of the fourth, the French school a preparatory position plus five, and the Russian school codified by Vaganova a preparatory position plus just three. Cecchetti's own set has no front-plus-side third; French for Dancers lists its third as quatrième en avant.

Vaganova's three positions are commonly described as an oval in front for first, arms to the sides for second, and both arms overhead for third, as in this Vaganova arm positions overview. So a Vaganova-trained dancer's "third" resembles the "fifth" described above. Some teachers also use three French direction words, drawn from Cecchetti-style vocabulary, to say where the arms are; exact shapes vary by method:

• En bas means low. ABT's bras bas entry describes arms forming a circle, palms facing each other, backs of the hands resting on the thighs.

• En avant means forward: the oval in front of the body, the beach-ball shape at home.

• En haut means high: the oval lifted overhead, the crown shape.

If a correction confuses your child, ask her teacher which method the studio follows and use those numbers at home. Many basic shapes recur across systems, though some combinations and labels differ.

Allongé and Arabesque Lines: A Peek Ahead

As your dancer progresses, she will hear one more term: allongé, French for "lengthened." It means lengthening a rounded position into a longer line while keeping softness in the elbows and wrists. The reaching arm lines in an arabesque, the pose with one leg extended behind, are a familiar example. Nothing to practice yet.

Make Practice Fun

Short, playful sessions tend to hold a young dancer's attention better than long drills. A few ways to keep arm practice fun:

• Mirror or mirror-me. Practice facing a mirror, or face to face with her copying you (your mistakes included, which kids find hilarious).

• Add music. One slow song for shape-holding, one upbeat song for freestyling between positions, which is port de bras practice in disguise.

• Lean on imagery. Birds, wind, big hugs, growing trees. The sillier and more vivid, the more likely the shape sticks.

• Dress for it. Anything she can move in works, though a leotard or fitted top makes shoulder and elbow lines easier to spot when she asks, "Is this right?"

Arm work can also support posture and body awareness; our guide to the benefits of ballet covers more. Once the five shapes feel comfortable, the next stop is our guide to basic ballet moves walks through the 14 steps beginners usually learn first.

FAQ

What are the 5 arm positions in ballet?

In a class that uses French-style numbering, you will hear first through fifth, usually starting from bras bas, arms resting low. Third and fourth combine two different arm shapes, which is why they vary most between studios. The quick-reference table above shows each at a glance, and the teacher can confirm which version the studio uses.

What is port de bras in ballet?

Port de bras is French for "carriage of the arm." It covers both how dancers move their arms between positions and the classroom exercises that train that movement, with motion starting from the shoulder.

Why do ballet schools number arm positions differently?

Major teaching methods developed in different countries, and each settled on its own set of positions, so one shape can carry different numbers. Syllabus organizations such as the Royal Academy of Dance publish their own versions, as do Cecchetti and Vaganova programs. The practical step is to ask the teacher which method the studio follows, then use those names at home.

What does en haut mean in ballet?

En haut means "high" in French and is used for arms lifted overhead. In Cecchetti terms the overhead oval is fifth en haut, Vaganova calls a similar shape third, and French-style numbering calls it fifth. Its companions are en bas (arms low) and en avant (arms forward).

About the Stelle Team

Stelle is a mom-trusted dancewear & athleisure brand best known for girls’ ballet and dance essentials since 2015. Every article is created and reviewed by the team behind the products, drawing on what we hear from dance teachers, studio owners, and dance parents every day. Learn more about Stelle.