Ballet Positions - Ideal Posture

by Jess
(America)

Ballet Positions - Ideal Posture : - To Odette,

What is the ideal posture for a dancer?

Please could you give me a description of how the body should be placed for the ideal posture. I'm hoping that by securing my posture will improve all my ballet positions. I need to correct posture not just in ballet class but also in my everyday life.

Thank you



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Reply by Odette

To: - Ballet Positions - Ideal Posture

Hi Jess,

Yes, correct posture is vital for every dancer. I will now give you a very thorough description of the perfect posture...

For the ideal posture the spine should be lengthened without any slouching or slumping. The back of the neck should be long with no tension in the head. The eyes should focus ahead and the head is held so that the chin is at a right angle.

There should be no tension in the shoulders so that the line of the shoulders are even. The shoulders are to be rotated back so that the blades are flat on the back.

The arms should be held loosely at the sides. The elbows are held slightly away from the body because this enables the chest to rise.

The ribs are lifted and separated from the hips. The spine should be straight and lengthened, but not unnaturally straight.

The knees face forward and are in line with the foot. The feet has weight evenly spread over all toes and the heel. They should be planted flat on the floor without inversion or eversion. (Rolling inwards or outwards)

Hope this helps!

All the best,

Odette