After-School Dancing Lesson

Hi girls,

This week for your assignment, you have to take a photo of you doing one of the 5 basic moves in ballet. It can only be one photo, and is to be published on a Word document along with a description of the move you are doing. Please include your name on the Word document. All assignments should be sent to Miss Angie at academyfordolls@gmail.com . Please have your assignment published and sent to me by December 19th, and I look forward to grading your assignments.

Now, onto the lesson:

Today we are going to be learning the 5 basic ballet positions. You will need to remember them, because at the end of the next 3 weeks you have to create a video of you doing a routine! (It can be any type of video, as long as you are dancing) Lets learn the five ballet positions:

FIRST POSITION

This is the main Ballet position that most of the steps you practise as a beginner will start from. So it's important to get it right. Your feet should be turned out only as far as is comfortable. It is vital that you feel completely balanced in this position and that all of the sole of your foot and toes are in contact with the floor. Check that your feet aren't rolling forwards or turned out so far that you feel you are going to fall over. And certainly don't try to get them in a completely straight line á la Charlie Chaplin! Also, notice how your heels probably won't touch – don't worry about this at all. Just as close as is comfortable is fine.

SECOND POSITION

From first position (above), slide one foot away from the other. The space in between your feet should be about one and a half lengths of your foot. Keep your feet comfortably turned out.

THIRD POSITION

Now slide your foot back to touch the other, but instead of touching heels together as in first position, this time bring one foot further across the other. The heel of your front foot should be touching the area of the arch of your back foot. It's from third position that you'll probably start most of your barre exercises from as a beginner, so take a little time to find and get used to this position.

FOURTH POSITION

From the third position (above) slide your front foot directly out in front of you. Stop when the distance between your feet is equal to about one foot's length.

FIFTH POSITION

Slide your front foot directly back towards you. Bring your front foot slightly further across your back foot than in third position. So when your feet are touching, your front toe should be roughly in front of your back heel. The 'ideal' of this position is to get your front foot so far across your back foot, that you can't see the one at the back. You are so turned out that you are standing front toe to back heel, and back toe to front heel. But to execute this perfectly takes years of training. What is demonstrated here is perfectly acceptable for a beginner. And far more comfortable!

These are the feet, but next week we will be working on the arms! At the end of the next 3 weeks, you will be given a test about all the things you have learnt about ballet and you will be making your own routine (video), so I suggest you take notes on draft writing paper for when you do the exam, so you are ready and prepared.