Blog | Broadway Performing Arts

Learn the Five Ballet Positions of the Feet and Arms

by on June 18, 2011 in Ballet

Everyone can perform ballet. If you master the five corresponding ballet positions of the feet and arm, you will be well on your way to performing ballet yourself. So if you have always wanted to learn ballet or need a refresher course, you will find everything you need to know.

The positions of the feet should always stem from the thighs rotating in the hip sockets. This is called a “turned out” position. The feet should only “turn out” as far as the hip sockets will allow. The soles of the feet should be flat on the floor. The majority of your weight should always be over the ball of the feet.

The arm positions correspond with the feet positions. The names and positions differ slightly according to the school or method you have chosen to follow such as Vaganova, French, Cecchetti, etc. The arms should be soft, but held from the back. They should slope down from the shoulder to the elbow, to the wrist and then the fingertips. The hands should be rounded as if holding a small ball in the palm of your hand, the fingers relaxed.

First position of the feet: With the legs “turned out” from the hip sockets, the heels are placed together and the toes are as far apart as your hip sockets will allow.

First Position of the arms: The arms are rounded in front of you at waist level as if you are holding a beach ball out in front of you.

Second Position of the feet: With the legs “turned out” from the hip sockets the heels are placed shoulder length apart (your own shoulders should fit between the heels) and the toes are pointing in opposite directions.

Second Position of the arms: The arms move out to either side of your body. They should be slightly in front of you keeping the elbows rounded slightly without letting them drop below your wrists. The palms should face out.

Third Position of the feet: This position is rarely used in classical ballet. It’s mainly used for very young beginners as a preparation for fifth position. Start standing on your left leg with the leg “turned out” (from the hip socket), then place your right heel in front of the arch of your left (turned out) foot. So your left leg should rotate (up in the hip socket) counter clockwise and the right leg should rotate (up in the hip socket) clockwise. This position should be executed with both the right foot in front and then the left.

Third Position of the arms: Depending on what foot is in front, one arm is rounded over your head with the palm facing down (as in fifth position) and the other arm is out to the side slightly rounded with the palm facing out (as in a second position). The arms usually work in opposition of the feet.

Fourth Position of the feet: With both legs “turned out” (from the hip socket) place your right foot directly in front of your left foot with a space between the two feet the length of your own foot. Keep your weight evenly distributed between both feet. This position should be executed with both the right foot in front and then the left.

Fourth Position of the arms: Depending on what foot is in front, one arm is rounded over your head with the palm facing down (as in Fifth position) and the other arm is rounded in front of you with the palm facing in toward your waist (as in first position). The arms usually work in opposition of the feet.

Fifth Position of the feet: Stand on your left leg “turned out” then place your “turned out” right foot directly in front of the left with no space in between them. Your feet should be toe to heel, heel to toe with your left leg rotating in the hip socket counterclockwise and your right leg rotating in the hip socket clockwise. This position should be executed with both the right foot in front and then the left.

Fifth Position of the arms: Both arms are rounded over your head, as if your head was a beach ball that you are holding. The fingertips should be close together without actually touching. The palms facing down.

Sixth Position of the feet: This position is rarely used in classical ballet. Both feet are in a “turned in”, parallel position side by side with no space between the feet. The sixth position typically does not have an official corresponding arm position.

En Bas Position of the arms: (This is the position that the arms start in. It is also a position that you move through to get to another position.) The arms are rounded low in front of you just in front of your hips. There should be space between your arms and your body (to make room for a tutu). The fingertips should be close together without actually touching, the palms facing each other.

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So You Want to Be a Working Actor?

by on May 20, 2011 in Acting

The most important thing an actor should have is an arsenal of material to perform at the ready. You need a rehearsed and polished sample of every style of song or monologue (classical, contemporary, funny, and serious) ready to perform at all times.

Your 2nd most important tool is a fantastic headshot. It is your business card. If you are under the age of 16 you should not spend a lot on pictures because your appearance will change. You will probably need new shots taken every year. However, if you are an adult, this is where you are going to want to spend a little money. A really good headshot is very important. Your photo is the initial meeting you have with agents and casting directors so it needs to make a good and lasting impression on them. It must be the best representation of you and your personality.

You should find a photographer who specializes in headshots for actors. Look at their book. Do their shots jump out at you? Look at the eyes, are they saying something? If not, find another photographer. Once you have picked a photographer they should be able to tell you what to wear that will photograph the best. And for a woman, they should have a make up artist available for you (about $150 extra, but well worth it). Make sure you have a couple of different looks, commercial & musical theatre, (usually smiling), a serious shot for soaps, TV and film, and possibly a business shot (for adults).

Once you get the photographs done, the hard part is picking 2 or 3 of your favorite shots. You may want to get some different opinions from friends, family and anyone you know in the industry. You do want to look your best, but make sure you look like your picture so the people you are auditioning for are not surprised or shocked when you walk in the room.

When you have made your choice of shots, take them to a reputable reproduction shop. My recommendation is Reproductions in midtown Manhattan because they will know exactly what to do. You will have a few options to choose from but I recommend that you consider a composite shot so you have all your different looks on one 8×10. Make at least 100 copies of whatever you decide. You might want to invest in some postcards as well, but more on that later. You will also have the option of putting your resume directly on the back of the shots (which could be a problem if you want to add or change your resume) or you can just staple them on the back.

When writing your resume, it should be in a 3 column format. If you have access to the resume of a working actor, copy their format. Otherwise here are the instructions in a nutshell. Your name should be centered along with your contact info below it. You want to list your show categories in the first column, the role you played in the 2nd, and where it was done in the 3rd. You do the same for film and any television. At the bottom of the page list your training, vocal range, dialects you have perfected and any special skills. Be concise as possible. You do not want to bore them! Now you can call yourself a professional actor. All you have to do is get the job!

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So You Want to Learn How to Tap Dance?

by Mr. Asbury on April 23, 2011 in Tap

It is really not hard to begin and it can be fun immediately!

Tap dancing at its core is about the rhythms you create and how you create them. The rhythms can be as simple or as complicated as you choose. A nursery rhyme can be a great rhythm to start with. It is the same for drummers. Where the beginning tap dancer often gets confused and frustrated is when they can “hear” the rhythms in their head but have trouble tapping out those rhythms in a coordinated way with their feet.

This is where it is important to recognize the other component in tap dancing, weight shifting. As toddlers we learn very quickly how to walk and then to run. But once we master those abilities and are able to get to where we want to go, we typically stop “teaching” our feet. Think about it. When we walk we are usually going in a forward direction while stepping right, left, right, left, etc. But in tap dancing we may move forward, backward, sideways, up and down, or not in any direction at all! We often make several sounds while standing on one foot before shifting to the other foot. In other words, the tap dancer must become very aware of where he/she needs his/her body weight to go to in order to help create the step! Children who skip, jump rope, or play the game of hopscotch learn this at a basic level very quickly.

Although the majority of the action in tap dancing rests at the feet, the truth is the entire body needs to be involved. With this in mind I suggest a game. Think of a rhythm. You can listen to your favorite song to help you find one if you like. Or you can simply use the happy birthday song. Now that you have your rhythm in your head, see how many different ways you can think of to tap out that rhythm with your feet. Do not worry about “looking good”. This is just an exercise in different ways to shift your weight.

When the music moves you, move to the music. Pretend the floor is a big drum and your feet are the drumsticks! The possibilities are endless and so is the fun. Once you get the sense of what tap dancing feels like, you are ready to learn specific steps that will lead to combination’s. Pretty soon you are doing routines and having the time of your life. So do not be afraid to pick up some tap shoes and join in!

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How You Can Make It in Show Business

by Elisa on February 13, 2011 in Acting

One of the most frequently asked questions is, “What is the secret to making it into show business?” Here’s the short answer; study, study, and study some more! You are just like an athlete, you’ve got to be the best of the best to compete in this business.

The long answer is you’ve got to start with passion for what you want to do. If you love what you do, you work diligently to master your craft, and you persist, you will succeed. First off, let me give you my definition of success. Success has nothing to do with how much money you make or what kind of celebrity status you achieve. Those things do not equal success in my opinion. If you’re doing what you love, it doesn’t matter how much money you make.

And being a celebrity has very little to do with talent. Celebrity is a plus but not mandatory. There are lots of reasons why people become celebrities and talent is usually not one of them. Ask yourself if you’re happy doing what you’re doing. If the answer is yes, then you are a success! The money will follow your passion, but never let it be your motivation.

I believe the key to being a brilliant performer is being a well-rounded human being. The more skills you have developed combined with a wealth of knowledge give you a much better chance of working in show business. Read the paper and or listen to the news. Know what’s happening in the world around you. Be knowledgeable in as many subjects as you possibly can. This will not only make you a better performer, but a person as well. There is far more demand and way too much supply so you will need every possible advantage.

Always strive to be the best (as a performer and a person as well). I can’t stress this strongly enough; that there are a plethora of performers ready, willing, able, and waiting in the wings, so to speak. Never stop honing your craft. Remember, this is what you love to do. If it stops making you happy, change careers!

I have two pieces of advice that were given to me early in my career and it changed my life:

Be the best you, you can be. No one is going to be better at it than you. Don’t try to be somebody else. Chances are there will be somebody better at it than you.
Learn to love auditioning because you will be doing a lot of it. If you’re enjoying yourself your audience will too.

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