Ballet Cheat Sheet

The key takeaways for beginners – foot positions, turnout from the hip and the road to your first pair of pointe shoes.

The 5 foot positions

Position	Feature
First position	Heels together in a flat “V” – the start of almost every movement, weight centred.
Second position	Like the first, just opened to shoulder width – the wider base for pliés.
Third position	One heel placed in front of the midfoot – the bridge to controlled crossing.
Fourth position	One foot well in front of the other, both turned out – only once 1st and 2nd feel easy.
Fifth position	Tight crossing, heel to big toe – demands your full hip turnout.

The 3 golden technique rules

Factor 1: Turnout from the hip

Concept: Turnout comes about 60% from the hip, only 20–30% from the ankle – forcing more means compensating through the knee or foot. Tip: Test your hip turnout seated (soles together, let the knees drop) and only turn out as far in position as your knees stay over your feet.

Factor 2: The plié is your foundation

Concept: The demi-plié is the most common movement in ballet – an active, springy plié is your shock absorber on every landing. Tip: Keep your heels down, bend the knees exactly over the second toe – springy, never stiff, on every single plié at the barre.

Factor 3: Pirouette = axis + spotting

Concept: A pirouette is axis, spotting and core strength – not a talent gift. Cleanliness beats the number of turns. Tip: Fix a point at eye level, leave your head behind and snap it back around fast (spotting) – that curbs dizziness and centres the turn.

Ready for pointe? The check

The frame fits: At the earliest age 12 (minimum 11), roughly 3 years of training and at least 2 hours of ballet per week – pain-free.
Balance & foot strength: Hold 30 seconds of passé balance on one leg, 20 full relevés and 8 clean sautés without using your arms.
Control in the airplane test: 5 slow pliés in a flat-back arabesque, hips and shoulders stay square, without tipping.
Flexible enough: Pass the pencil test (foot extension) and wall lunge (ankle) – no pain, no major side-to-side difference.

Choosing pointe shoes

Feature	What to check
Toe box	Holds the toes snugly but pain-free – foot type and toe length shape it.
Shank	Match stiffness to your foot strength – softer at first, too stiff blocks rolling through.
Fit	Snug at the heel, no sliding on pointe, no jamming in demi-plié.
Breaking in	Break in gently at the barre in short sessions – never with a door or hammer.

Getting strong, safely

Fuel, not diet: Don't train fasted, eat carbs and protein around training – otherwise low energy availability (RED-S) weakens bones and strength.
Train foot and toe strength: Towel scrunches and calf raises on a ramp – regular ballet training alone won't build jump power.
Take warning signs seriously: A missed period, stress fractures, constant fatigue – if several appear together, involve sports medicine early.
Never jump cold: About half of all ballet injuries hit the foot and ankle – warm up first, then deep-plié or jump.

Pro tip: Measure progress in degrees, not by feel: film your pirouette once a month from the front and count only centred turns. And never force turnout through the knee or foot – what your hip won't give is a limit, not a training goal.