Ballet 101: Familiar Steps and Positions

Sean Ogrosky

August 20, 2025 / 5 mins read

Ballet is rooted in fundamental positions learned at a young age. However, as dancers mature and grow in their technical abilities, their repertoire of skills advances alongside them.

Students and professionals alike have a repertoire of complex steps and positions that make up their performances. To new audience members or young students, it may take time to recognize these movements on stage or perform them in the studio, so we’ve broken down six of the most common below. Read on to learn how to identify pointe work, arabesques, attitude, plies, pirouettes, and fouettés during your next ballet experience.

What Does It Mean to Be "En Pointe"?

Probably the most recognizable ‘look’ of a ballet dancer is when they dance on the tips of their toes, otherwise known as pointe technique. This movement is achieved by wearing pointe shoes, an iconic symbol of ballet that supports the extensions and weight distribution of a dancer en pointe.

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MBSA Academy Division students rehearse en pointe; Milwaukee Ballet Company and Milwaukee Ballet Second Company dancers perfom in the Swan Corps of Swan Lake (Photos Rachel Malehorn.)

A dancer may perform fully en pointe or on demi pointe. En pointe involves dancing on the tips of fully extended toes; in contrast, demi-pointe refers to rising onto the balls of the feet with heels lifted, often used in both training and performance for strength and balance.

While this might be the image that comes to mind when you think of ballet at any level, most dancers do not begin dancing en pointe until their teenage years due to potential foot injuries that can result from underdeveloped bones. Pointe work is also reserved for advanced dancers due to the strength needed to remain en pointe for an entire variation. Years of barre work and consistent rehearsing can condition dancers to showcase this beautiful, challenging, and often painful skill.

What is an "Arabesque"?

Another classic ballet position, arabesque refers to when a dancer en pointe extends one leg turned out behind or above the body. Commonly, the working leg that is elevated is held at either a 45- or 90- degree angle, with the dancer’s arms extended to the sides.

An MBSA Academy Division student performs in the all-school showcase The Giant's Garden; Company Artist Randy Crespo perfoms in Swan Lake (Photos Iryna Levit and Rachel Malehorn.)

Arabesque is often used in classical ballet to portray ethereal beauty and otherworldly characters. An arabesque evokes weightlessness quality and can be seen in some of the most well-known ballets such as Swan Lake (pictured above right), Giselle, or La Sylphide, among others that feature transformation or fairy-lake characters.

What Is an "Attitude" in Ballet?

Similar to arabesque, an attitude is a position where the dancer stands on one leg while the other leg is raised at a bent angle. Typically, a 90-degree angle will be formed between the thigh and the lower leg.

An MBSA Summer Intensive attendee practices in the studio; Milwaukee Ballet Company Leading Artist Marie Harrison-Collins and Artist Josiah Cook perform in Sleeping Beauty (Photos Rachel Malehorn and Iryna Levit.)

Attitudes have many variations, with some choreography utilizing placement of the foot flat on the floor, placing just the ball of the foot on the floor, or being en pointe. In some variations, you may even see a dancer bend the standing leg (pictured above right).

Plie

While seemingly simple, this is a staple of classical ballet and is necessary to master before moving on to harder steps. In a plie (French for ‘bent’), after starting in first position, a dancer will bend their knees in turnout in a squat-like maneuver.

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MBSA Academy Students rehearse in the studio; Milwaukee Ballet Company performs at Baumgartner Center in MKE MIX (Photos Rachel Malehorn.)

There are two main types of plies in classical ballet: a demi-plie, in which knees will extend just over the toes when bent, and a grand plie, in which knees bend even lower and heels rise from the ground (pictured above left).

Pliés are essential for warming up the body, improving balance, preparing for jumps and turns, and developing smooth transitions between movements.

What is a "Pirouette"?

Any time you see a dancer turn on one foot, you are witnessing a pirouette (French for ‘spin’ or 'whirl'). The standing leg may be in either demi-point or en pointe. Most often, you will see the non-standing leg in passe, a position in which the leg is bent and the pointed toes sit at approximately the knee. Pirouttes may vary in direction, number of rotations, and arm positions.

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Pirouettes can be performed en dedans (turning towards the standing leg) or en dehors (turning away from the supporting leg). Sometimes, pirouettes can also involve raising one leg at a 90-degree angle and then finishing by bringing the leg into a passe.

Successful pirouettes require strong core control, proper spotting (focusing the eyes on a single point), correct alignment, and momentum generated from the plié and arm coordination.

What is a "Fouetté"?

A fouetté (French for ‘whipped’) is a very difficult and precise turn done repeatedly in rapid succession. To perform a fouetté, a dancer begins by standing on one leg with the other extended out to the side. The dancer then performs a whipping motion to turn their body while that leg stays extended in the air. Typically, arms are held in a circular position in front of the body to support balance.

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Fouettés showcase some of the dancers’ best technical skills and push the limits of their agility. A famous example can be found in Swan Lake, which demands 32 consecutive fouettés. This moment is notoriously difficult tests even some of the most seasoned Leading Artists.

Fouettés require great strength, posture, and alignment. Dancers must keep their core engaged, shoulders back, and hips square to correctly execute a fouetté successfully. The elevated leg must also be at full extension to maintain the aesthetic appeal of the turn. The best fouettés will not be as fast as possible, but rather controlled and precise.

Remember, don’t try these moves at home! Educators at Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy stress the importance of learning these moves properly and with instructors who can ensure the safety and strength of training dancers. Doing these moves too early in a young dancer’s career, or doing them improperly, can leave strain, sprains, or tears that can injure a dancer or halt their progression during recovery periods.

While this list only scratches the surface of famous ballet movements, these six are some of the most frequently seen in classical ballet. At the next ballet performance you see, keep an eye out for these moves, and watch how gracefully professional dancers can pull them off. The concentration, flexibility, and strength required to make such complex positions look easy is always something to appreciate!

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