The basis of ballet technique is the turned-out
position of the legs and feet: Each leg is rotated outward from the hip
joint so that the feet form a 180° angle on the floor.
This position is not unique to ballet; it is used
also in many Asian dance forms.
Ballet comprises five specific, numbered positions
of the feet, which form the basis of almost all ballet steps. Corresponding
positions exist for the arms.
Ballet technique emphasizes resistance to gravity.
Since all the movements of the dancer's limbs flow from the body's vertical
axis, all of the dancer's body parts must be correctly centered and aligned
to allow maximum balance and easy movement.
Ballet possesses many such steps. The higher steps
traditionally are considered the special steps of male dancers, but they
can be done by both genders.
The idea of resisting gravity resulted in the invention
of toe dancing.
Toe Dancing
Toe dancing was developed early in the 19th century,
but did not become widely used by ballet dancers until the 1830s. Pointe
work is almost exclusively performed by women, although male dancers may
use it.
The term line in ballet refers to the configuration
of the dancer's body, whether in motion or at rest. A good line is partly
a matter of the body a dancer is born with, but it can also be developed
and enhanced by training.
In ballet, certain relationships of the arms, legs,
head, and torso are considered particularly harmonious, while others are
not, even though they may be perfectly acceptable in different forms of
dance.
Large movements of the whole limb are preferred
to small movements of individual body parts. Ballet is often described
in terms of moving upward and outward; the dancer's limbs should appear
to extend into infinity, and beyond!
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