Ballet Positions of the Body

Eight directions of the body and Épaulement~
Épaulement is shouldering or the placing of the shoulders.
As the working leg goes through the positions, the body moves
from the waist upward, bringing one shoulder forward and
the other back with the head turned or inclined.
So, use the list below while watching both the legs and
the épaulement of Royal Opera House Ballet First Artist,
Romany Pajdak, as she starts with the right leg and then
repeats the eight positions of the body with her left leg..
Croisé devant
À la quatrième (1) devant
Écarté (2) devant
Effacé devant
À la seconde
Efface (3) derrière
À la quatrième derrière
Croisé (4) derrière
(Then, in class to get to the left leg, we draw in to coupé
then pas de bourrée en tournant to the other side.)
(1) Quatrième is like Premier or première~ first; Deuxième~second;
Troisième~ third; Quatrième~ fourth; and Cinquième~ fifth.
(2) Écarté means separated or thrown wide apart.
The dancer faces either one of the two front corners (one or two).
The downstage leg is pointed in the second à terre or en l'air.
The torso is held perpendicular and arms are en attitude with the
raised arm on the same side as the extended leg.
(3) Efacé (or effacée) means shaded so that when you stand at an
oblique angle to the audience part your body is taken back and
slightly hidden from view. Effacé can be devant or derrière and
either à terre or en l'air.
(4) Not to be confused with en croix (in the shape of a cross
when we go from fourth to the front, second to the side,
fourth to the back, or vice versa, as in battements tendus en croix)

[@abc-yg6tk]

Thanks for making this. Absolutely invaluable for a beginner. I have been confused about the various directions of the body, arms and leg but with this video I can practice from someone who does it so beautifully.

[@livedreamincolor]

Thank you. These are the exact sort of remedial lessons I need.

[@jennifermaue9915]

Love the progression of body positions and lovely accompaniment… Especially no speaking, even better!

[@OffbeatHomesteader]

This series of videos are SO helpful for me. Thank you!

[@rebeccabush6466]

Love this...I'm sharing it with all my students!

[@trasiano]

¡Congratulations! Excelente demostración. Saint Wayne era lo que estaba buscando. ¡Muchas Gracias!

[@Chris349]

Awesome thank you. I will practice these positions and hopefully I can memorize them in a couple days (before class).

[@jennycaspe]

Thank you for posting this. :) God bless you!

[@LegitVisions]

FANTASTIC EXPLANATION!

[@heatherlasson4252]

THANK YOU this is so helpful

[@steemdup]

very good - slow and precise

[@jasmine-fc2rd]

So helpful thank you!

[@marina69043]

Wonderful thanks!!!! 🤩♥️

[@albadeffa5398]

Bellissimo.Grazie🌹💕

[@MeganTucker]

Thank you!

[@ZenGrammy]

Lovely. Thank you.

[@curiouscoquettexcourtney4778]

This is so helpful!!

[@belkistirado8473]

Muchas graciass

[@leonida1234]

music is 4th Adage 3/4 by Richard Maddock, you can Shazam it!

[@Jaydub9191]

She's beautiful

[@CaHaGoVa1999]

thank you, this really help me! :)

[@madelynrayford3052]

Thanks so much this helped a lot(:

[@arianahope154]

Vine a ver esto gracias a un libro que estoy leyendo , el Ballet es Arte muy hermoso 🦋✨

[@jennifermaue9915]

Always adored positions of the body in class…

[@danielaromano2852]

Grazie 🌹

[@laylanahar]

I've seen the fast version of this with the original music - both yours and the original are great!

[@anayacunha1446]

tysm lol i have a test and this really helped!

[@thicbins]

lol I gotta learn this before I go to ballet class thanks ❤️😂

[@infinity7857]

SAMEEE I’m on my way right now and my mom looking at me like what are y doing u watched this 6 times already

[@OrthosomyMethod]

I know the system and love it but Ecarte derriere was included.

[@user-rs2sc1pn9m]

יפה מאוד אהבתי

[@delph2000]

This is one of the Royal Ballet’s videos.

[@qq8579]

What is the name of the background music?

[@snip-sniptear956]

This is what I had on my notes for a Beginner Ballet class I am taking: Corner 1 = En Avant Wall 5 = En Face Corner 2 = Croise en Devant Wall 6 & 8 = De Cȏte Corner 3 = Croise en Arriere Wall 7 = En Derriere Corner 4 = En Arriere Am I somewhat on the right path to understanding the 8 directions of the body??? Any corrections or critic is welcome. And thank you for the help in advance!!

[@and567go]

You missed three and one was incorrect. Your efface’ derrière is epaule’ devant.

[@raulmihovilovic]

Somebdy know the name of the music?? Many people want to know!!!!

[@mizpiripiri]

This content is from the Royal Ballet. On their channel you will find a complete glossary. It would have been polite to give the credits.

[@troyandcharlene93]

I can'read it

[@Tomcody39]

The square on the floor, looks like it helps practice these? How is that laid out, as everyone is a different size.

[@overactivebrain]

The direction is the same for everyone. the distance travel is different depending on size.

[@kathycollins5187]

At 1:01 it says efface derriere but this is epaule, right? Efface would have to arm above the head in a "shaded" position.

[@isabellejouanne5131]

Et incliné vers le jambe tendue côté (bras couronne jambe de terre, bras seconde jambe à la seconde) ? Merci

[@bryanelliott4447]

I’m supposed to do the Larry Payne one but this is way easier to understand. I’m not really Bryan I’m his daughter.

[@user-ck2qz7sh9f]

❤❤❤❤❤❤🎉

[@OrthosomyMethod]

missing ecarte derriere though

[@Rach227204]

+maria pappa This is based on the 8 positions of the body by Cecchetti. My dance teacher agrees there are a few more but once you can do this routine you can pretty much nail all the positions.

[@ellenchinn4049]

maria pappa 月亮

[@allyson4241]

I need to memorize my directions by knowing the names, but i don't know how to pronounce them. Can you tell us the pronunciations?

[@thenextcountry]

The American Ballet Theatre website has a dictionary with pronunciations www.abt.org/explore/learn/ballet-dictionary/

[@leonida1234]

does ecarte derriere exist? if so, why is it not there?

[@thamiresfreitas6923]

Pois é. Descobri que faltou o ecarté derrière. (Yeah. Find that lacked Ecarte derrière.)

[@susanhoward1749]

In the Cecchetti method, the 6th body position is called epaule. It was demonstrated correctly but mislabeled as efface derriere. In the Cecchetti method, we do have ecarte derriere, but it is not included in the 8 body positions.

[@thamiresfreitas6923]

ecarté derrière???

[@Andreette]

My teacher teaches it. It's in Vaganova technique

[@Bananas904]

No credit given to the royal opera house. Thumbs down.

[@RS-be7iy]

That's what I thought it was. Of course.

[@rosalierox247]

MUSIC PLEASE

[@rosalierox247]

+lightshowz it means I wanted to know what the music was...???

[@dannalmaoooo]

Si xdxd

[@juliovc6126]

I really don’t like ballet but my mom says that ballet is so cool but I like more music 🎶 but well my mom send me this video I am a girl XD in the foto is a boy but well I am whatching this video in my dads iphone thanks bye 😊

[@laurimoncur2628]

It would be such a nice video but we need the description of each position with the demonstration. Too much left out.

[@jamilethbarco8319]

Ya y como se pronuncia eso? JAJAJAJA 😭

[@felicitykolb5932]

I wish it came with an english pronunciation...

[@IAMJUSTME841]

I got a " position" for her😏