Ballet Basics: Port De Bras (Arm Positions)
Port De Bras is a classical ballet term meaning “movement of the arms.” It describes how dancers move their arms from one position to another. For example, if a ballerina moves her arms from first position to fifth position, that is considered a port de bras. When doing proper port de bras , dancers will move their arms from their back and shoulders (without lifting the shoulders awkwardly upwards) while trying to move as smoothly as possible. The shape of the arms should be rounded so there is no visible break at the elbows and wrists. In classical ballet, the arms should never be fully straight or hyper-extended at the elbows. Also, the hands should be shaped with the fingers extended running mostly in the same direction, but not stuck together like a paddle or overly extended. In contemporary ballet, there are many exceptions to the rules of port de bras, but generally port de bras should always look coordinated with the lower half of the body and still look b...