Positions of the Feet

This is an excerpt from Beginning Jazz Dance With HKPropel Access 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).

Neutral foot position.

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

Parallel first position.

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

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.

Parallel fourth position.

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

Classical first position.

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

Classical second position.

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