attitude

ballet position

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Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

In ballet, an attitude is a specific body position where a dancer stands on one leg while the other leg is bent at the knee. This raised leg can be extended either forward or backward. It is similar to the arabesque, another ballet position, but differs in that the leg in an arabesque is kept straight. The term "attitude" was first described by Carlo Blasis in 1829.12

Ballet positions, including the attitude, are fundamental to classical ballet and involve specific placements of the feet and arms to maintain balance and execute movements.12

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ballet position
The attitude is a position similar to the arabesque except that the knee of the raised leg is bent. The raised leg is held at a 90° angle to the body in back or in front (attitude an avant); the knee may be either well bent…
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The attitude is a position similar to the arabesque except that the knee of the raised leg is bent. The raised leg is held at a 90° angle to the body in back or in front (attitude an avant); the knee may be either well bent…
Read More

Carlo Blasis
…with creating the position of attitude with inspiration from Giambologna’s statue of Mercury; in this, the dancer’s working leg is raised and extended to the back but bent at the knee. He also discovered the technique for preventing dizziness while turning, called spotting, by which the dancer can snap his…
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…with creating the position of attitude with inspiration from Giambologna’s statue of Mercury; in this, the dancer’s working leg is raised and extended to the back but bent at the knee. He also discovered the technique for preventing dizziness while turning, called spotting, by which the dancer can snap his…
Read More