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Friday. 29 March 2024
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Positions of the Feet

This is an excerpt from Beginning Jazz Dance by James Robey.


Jazz dance class uses both parallel foot positions and turned-out foot positions. In parallel foot positions, the feet may be side by side, apart at the distance of the center of the hip sockets, or in a wide position. Derived from classical ballet, the turned-out positions are called classical positions in jazz dance class.

 

  • Neutral position: feet apart at the distance of the center of the hip sockets and parallel to each other (see figure 5.4).

Figure 5.4 Neutral foot position.
Neutral foot position.

 

  • First position: insides of the feet together and parallel to each other (figure 5.5).

Figure 5.5 Parallel first position.
Parallel first position.

 

  • Second position: feet farther than hip-distance apart and parallel to each other (figure 5.6).

Figure 5.6 Parallel second position.
Parallel second position.

 

  • Fourth position: one foot forward of the other and the back heel lifted off the floor, as shown in figure 5.7 in plié.

Figure 5.7 Parallel fourth position.
Parallel fourth position.

 

  • Classical first position: feet in a V formation because of the natural turnout from the hip socket (figure 5.8).

Figure 5.8 Classical first position.
Classical first position.

 

  • Classical second position: feet apart about the length of one foot and naturally turned out (figure 5.9).

Figure 5.9 Classical second position.
Classical second position.

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Learn more about Beginning Jazz Dance.


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