First through fifth: how to stand the five foot and arm positions of ballet safely – turned out from the hip, not screwed into the floor.
## Introduction Short and clear: ballet has five basic positions of the feet (first through fifth) plus matching arm shapes. They are the alphabet of the discipline – every step, turn and jump is later built from them. Stand them cleanly and you have the foundation; fudge them and you build on sand.
The key thing almost nobody tells you at the start: these positions live off turnout – and that comes from the hip, not the feet. Anatomically, on average around 60 % of turnout comes from hip external rotation, only 20–30 % from the ankle. Keep one image: rotate from the hip, the feet follow – never the other way round.
## What you need - A barre or a stable chair back to hold while practising. - Ballet slippers and tight clothing so you can see your knee and foot alignment in the mirror. - A mirror (or phone camera): turnout feels different from how it looks. - A quick foot check first: lift the arches and feel them – you want to stand on a stable foot later, not a collapsed one.
### 1. First position Heels together, toes rotate outward from the hip so the feet form a flat "V". It's not a 180° contest: turn out only as far as the hip allows without the knees tipping inward.
### 2. Second position Like first, but the feet stand about shoulder width apart – roughly one and a half foot lengths. Weight stays exactly centred between both legs, as if you stood on a scale reading a clean 50/50.
### 3. Third position One heel moves in front of the mid-foot of the other, both still turned out. Third is the learning bridge to fifth and makes crossing the legs understandable before it gets tight.
### 4. Fourth and fifth position In fifth the feet cross closely, heel to toe. It's the most demanding position – don't force it. Fourth is fifth with a gap to the front and forms the base for turns. Approach both only once first and second feel effortless.
### 5. The arms (port de bras, basics) Each foot position pairs with a rounded arm shape: arms as if around a large invisible ball, elbows slightly lifted, shoulders low. Bras bas (low base), first (in front of the belly), second (open to the side). The detail is studio practice – the core rule: long, soft lines, no stiff angles.
### 6. Why practise every position on both sides? Ballet is designed symmetrically, but your body isn't: almost everyone has a "better" turning side. Practise each position equally on the right and left, or you cement an asymmetry that later slows your turns and jumps. Unequal turnout left versus right is a classic cause of one-sided overuse.
## Common mistakes - Screwing turnout from the feet: heels stay put, toes force outward – overloading knees and ankles. Fix: rotate the toes only as far as the hip turns. - Knees tipping inward: the classic sign of forced turnout. Fix: always point the knee over the second toe. - Collapsed arches (pronation): the foot rolls inward. Fix: spread weight over the triangle heel–big toe–little toe. - Hip cheating: the pelvis tilts to fake more "V". Fix: keep the pelvic crests level, accept less turnout.
## Safety notes The most dangerous beginner reflex is forced, "compensated" turnout – pushing it out through knees and feet when the hip won't give. That is exactly what studies link to lower-limb injuries (significant in 3 of 4 investigations). Your honest turnout is anatomically limited, partly by the shape of your thigh bone – accept it and build it gently rather than clamping it into the floor.
## Pro tip Do the hip check: sit on the floor, soles together, knees dropping to the side. However far your knees sink loosely is roughly how much turnout your hip gives. Anything beyond that while standing is usually compensation – and it costs you knees and ankles later.
### Do I have to reach 180 degrees of turnout? No. The 180° "ideal line" is a historical ideal that almost nobody fully reaches anatomically. Your usable turnout depends mainly on your hip structure. Clean, held turnout from 130° beats a forced, wobbly one from more degrees.
### Why does turnout come from the hip and not the feet? Because the deep external rotators of the hip rotate the thigh – on average around 60 % of turnout comes from there, only 20–30 % from the ankle. Screwing the feet out instead levers the knees and ankles and raises injury risk.
### In what order do I learn the positions? First and second first, because they train stance and weight distribution. Then third as a bridge, finally fourth and fifth, which demand tight crossing and a turning base. Only move to the next position once the previous one holds without wobble.
### What do I do with the arms? The arms form soft, rounded lines, as if holding a large ball – shoulders low, elbows slightly lifted. Each foot position has a base arm shape (bras bas, first, second). The finer forms (port de bras) you learn progressively in class.
Barre Work: Plié, Tendu, Relevé