How to do The Arabesque in Ballet

By Lena - March 8, 2010

The Arabesque is a graceful dance pose made by balancing on the supporting leg while extending the other leg behind. It is an invigorating pose to polish off your praise dance routine. The Arabesque pose is one of the most difficult positions to create in the ballet technique. It works your lower back and legs, and is very helpful in learning proper ballet posture. It takes many years for a dancer to form a beautifully developed arabesque. To perform an arabesque properly, a dancer must work hard to correct posture, control of the feet, pulled-up knees and a straight body.

 

Arebesque can be performed with the supporting leg and foot either en pointe, demi pointe or on a flat foot. The back leg may either touch the floor in tendu back (called arabesque par terre), or be raised at an angle. When the angle is much greater than 90° and the body leans forward to counterbalance the back leg, the pose is called arabesque penchée.

 


Listed below is instructions to execute an arabesque pose.

Things you will need:  Practice Space, Ballet Barre or  supportive chair.

  • Start at the barre or hold on to a firm chair in a battement tendu exercise. A battement tendue is a straight leg extended with a pointed foot.

 

  • Stand in fifth position, with your left foot in front. Lift your right leg and extend from the battement tendue, holding alignment with the upper body, pulling up on the standing hip. Keep as much lift as you can in the arabesque line.

 

 

  • Balancing on your left leg, slowly lift your right leg off the floor.

 

  • Make sure you straighten your right knee and point your toes.

 

  • Stay turned out from your hip.