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How does an attitude differ from an arabesque in ballet?
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ballet
La Camargo Dancing, oil painting of Marie-Anne Camargo by Nicolas Lancret, 1730; in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Nantes, France.
In classical ballet, both the arabesque and the attitude are poses in which the dancer’s weight is supported on one leg, but they differ primarily in the configuration of the working leg.12
- Arabesque: The working leg is extended to the back with the knee kept straight.12
- Attitude: The working leg is bent at the knee. While an arabesque is typically performed to the back, an attitude can be held with the leg positioned either in the back or in the front (attitude an avant).12
In both positions, the supporting leg may be straight or bent, and the dancer may be supported on the full foot, the ball of the foot (demi-pointe), or the toe (pointe). Additionally, both poses allow for variations in arm placement and body angle to create different aesthetic effects.1