How is an arabesque position performed in classical ballet?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

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, the arabesque is a fundamental body position characterized by the dancer supporting their weight on one leg while extending the other leg behind them with the knee kept straight.1

This pose is highly versatile and can be adapted in several ways:

Support: The dancer may be supported on the full foot, the ball of the foot (demi-pointe), or the toe (pointe, for women).1
Supporting Leg: The leg bearing the weight can be held straight or bent.1
Variations: The overall aesthetic of the arabesque is frequently modified by altering the height of the extended leg, the angle of the torso, and the placement of the arms.1

While the arabesque requires the back leg to be straight, it is often compared to the attitude, a similar pose where the knee of the raised leg is bent.1