Basic Ballet Steps
The Key Tips and Tricks

Basic ballet steps are not just for beginners, but for every single dancer out there. You may learn these basics right at the beginning, but you will hold onto them forever and practice them even when you are a great ballerina.

The basic steps are the foundation to your ballet technique. The positions like first, second and fifth will be in every single ballet move there is so you must grasp these basics to progress forwards.

When you have secured the basics, you can build onwards to further improve your technique and become more strong in the harder moves.

It takes years to master the perfection of technique in ballet.

Every dancer must always start somewhere and that is with the basics.

First and foremost, you must remind yourself of the five basic positions on my  ballet positions page. There is First Position, Second Position, Third Position, Fourth Position and Fifth Position.

These positions are performed in both the feet and arms, with a very clear pathway and placing for each one. The technique of ballet is very concise and the five positions create a clear outline of what position you should be in.

For example, a basic pirouette will take off from a plie in fifth position with the arms in third position. As you make the turn, your arms will join to first position and the leg will draw up to retire before landing back in a fifth position.

The five positions act like instructions for your body to be in the right place and perform all the ballet steps.

In a ballet class, the basic ballet steps include: Assemblé, Pas de bourrée, Glissade, Chassé.

You always have to keep focused on your turnout, alignment and footwork in every ballet step. These are the most important principles of ballet technniqe and if you follow the rules in ballet you will win eventually.

Ballet technique has to been designed to be done correctly in order to strengthen and improve. As tough as it may be, it is very logical.

When you move onto more challenging ballet steps, you can approach the steps exactly the same as you would with the basics.

Do not panic or loose the precision just because you are moving at quicker speed or a faster pace. You must still show clarity in your footwork and clearly state each position, in both the feet and arms.

If you remember the five basic positions of the feet your technique will look cleaner and more precise. You will be surprised how many times even professional dancers get reminded to hold their fifth positions or turn out their fourth position when moving or jumping.

It is the repetition of the basic steps which will help develop your technique, so keep practicing with a critical eye and be disciplined with yourself.

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