What Are the 5 Ballet Positions? Arm & Feet Placement

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Professional ballerina & ballet instructor Geraldine Grace Johns explains each of the basic ballet positions for beginners

Co-authored by Geraldine Grace Johns and Samantha Fulton, BA

Last Updated: August 18, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Ballet Positions
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• Basic Movements
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If you need a little guidance on ballet feet positions, you’re in the right place. For this beginner-friendly guide, we’ve partnered with a professional ballet instructor to explain all the essential feet and arm positions—including first, second, third, fourth, and fifth. We’ll also cover a few basic movements to put your feet positions into practice. Let’s get started!

Ballet Feet Positions: Visual Guide

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Professional ballerina & ballet instructor Geraldine Grace Johns says the five positions are first, second, third, fourth, and fifth. Each position of the feet also has specific arm placements. Here are the basics of each ballet position:

• First: Place your heels together and toes pointed out with your arms out in front of you in an oval shape.
• Second: Keep your feet turned out, and move your feet shoulder-distance apart. Extend your arms to the sides with a gentle slope from shoulder to fingertip.
• Third: Align the heel of your front foot with the middle of your back foot with your feet touching. Have one arm in first position and one arm in second.
• Fourth: Move your front foot a half foot ahead of the back foot, aligning your front heel with your back big toe joint. Extend one arm to the side and one in the air.
• Fifth: With your feet touching, align your front foot’s heel with your back foot’s big toe joint. Place your arms over your head, forming an oval shape.

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Section 1 of 2:

The 5 Basic Ballet Positions of the Feet & Arms

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   First Position In first position, Johns says you’ll have your heels together and your toes pointed out. She suggests starting with your feet parallel to each other and opening your feet outward, so your hips, knees, and ankles rotate out. Make sure to keep your weight forward.

   • Position of the arms: Hold your arms out in front of you with elbows slightly bent. Line your pinky finger up with the height of your waistband or belly button, instructs Johns. “Your hands should be face-width apart,” she adds.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Geraldine Grace Johns is a professional ballerina and the owner of Grace Ballet in NYC & LA. She has toured internationally and studied with the Royal Academy of Dance in London.
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   Second Position In second position, your feet will be in the same turnout as they were in first position, according to Johns. “Your feet are about shoulder-width apart in second position,” she notes. Press your heels flat on the floor with your weight distributed evenly between both feet.

   • Position of the arms: From first position, extend your arms out to the sides. Your arms should slope down from your shoulders, your elbows, and your wrist,” explains Johns. “The inside of your upper arm is lifted up, and your lower arm is rotated out—your elbow should be forward of your middle side seam on your leotard.”
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   Third Position Third position features the same turnout as first position, but with one foot crossed in front of the other, notes Johns. “The heel of your front foot should be in the middle of your back, supporting foot,” she instructs. This position helps you work toward the turnout needed to achieve a good fifth position.

   • Position of the arms: “Your front arm should be where your first position was,” explains Johns. “Your second arm is out to the side, like in second position.” Remember to keep your front arm’s pinky finger aligned with your belly button.
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   Fourth Position In fourth position, your front foot will be about half a foot forward from your back supporting foot, says Johns. Align the heel of your front foot with the big toe joint of your supporting foot. Keep your weight centered and distributed evenly between your feet.

   • Position of the arms: In fourth position, one arm will be in second position (extended to the side), and the other arm will be up, explains Johns. Keep your upward-extending arm curved, forming a half oval shape.
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   Fifth Position Fifth position is essentially a more advanced form of third position. With your legs equally turned out, align your front heel with the back big toe joint, keeping your front foot closed against the back foot. “You’ve got a lot more turnout in fifth position,” adds Johns, who cautions against attempting this position before you’ve mastered a sustained turnout of the hips.

   • Position of the arms: Curve both your arms over your head, holding them out in front of your face and forming an oval shape, instructs Johns. As with first position, keep your hands face-width apart.
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Section 2 of 2:

Basic Movements of Ballet for Beginners

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   Plié A plié is a bending of the knees. Johns says to start in first position and release your knees until they go over the middle of the balls of your feet. “Keep your knees in alignment as they drop over your first two toes and keep your tummy lifted,” she advises. Make sure to keep your core tight and your back straight.

   • Benefits: Strength, posture, balance, and flexibility
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   Relevé Relevé involves rising onto the balls of your feet and keeping your heels off the ground. From first position, push down through the balls of the feet and spread your toes on the floor. Keep your weight in the center of your foot, engage your core, and lift through the crown of your head.

   • Benefits: Strengthens feet and ankles
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   Sauté Sauté is a basic jump where you start and end on two feet. Start in first or second position and bend your knees into a plié. Then, jump into the air while maintaining control over your upper body. Keep your posture straight and land softly in the position you started in.

   • Benefits: Posture, balance, control, core strength
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   Tendu A tendu involves extending your working leg to the front, side, or back, passing from a flat foot to a pointed toe. Move from a closed position (like first or fifth) and push the ball of the foot along the floor. Lead with your heel and keep your toes relaxed. Gradually bring your toes out to a point.

   • Benefits: Control, balance, ankle and toe strength
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