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.
Learn more about Beginning Jazz Dance.