Terms & Positions

Bournonville: Bras Bas
Cecchetti: Fifth en Bas
French: De Départ, Preparation, Au Repos, or Première en Bas
R.A.D.: Bras Bas
Soviet Russian: Preparatory Position

Bournonville: First Position
Cecchetti: First Position

Bournonville: Bras Arrondis Devant or First Position en Avant
Cecchetti: Fifth Position en Avant
French: First Position
R.A.D.: First Position
Soviet Russian: First Position

Bournonville: Demi-seconde
Cecchetti: ^*
R.A.D.: Demi-seconde^?
*Not an official position, but it’s called Demi-seconde of Allegro when the palms face the body and Demi-seconde of Adagio when the palms are higher and face slightly upward.
^? For women, the fingertips should just touch the edge of the tutu. The R.A.D also uses a similar position called demi-bras, in which the arms are more in front of the body and the palms face upward as if offering.

Bournonville: Bras à la Ligne or Second Position
Cecchetti: Second Position
French: Second Position
R.A.D.: Second Position
Soviet Russian: Second Position^{*
*men hold the arms at shoulder height, women slightly lower.}                                                                                                              

Bournonville: Third Position Low
Cecchetti: Fourth Position en Avant*
French: Third Position?
R.A.D.: Third Position‡
Soviet Russian: Small Pose
^{* Cecchetti Third Position, not shown, is like this but both arms are lower—one en bas, one demi-seconde.
? Not an official position but sometimes called “Sixth”
‡ In Third and both Fourth Positions, the R.A.D. distinguishes between regular positions and those “in opposition,” depending on which foot is front or is working. “In opposition” is when the working foot or the front foot corresponds to the arm that is out to the side, or in Fourth Crossed, the arm to the front.}

Bournonville: Fourth Position
Cecchetti: ^*
French: Fourth Position
R.A.D.: Fourth Position Crossed^‡

^* As a “softened” rather than an official position, with head turned, gaze up and épaulment, it is called Spanish Fourth.
^‡ In both Third & Fourth Positions, the R.A.D. distinguishes between regular positions and those “in opposition,” depending on which foot is in front or working. “In opposition” is when the working foot or the front foot corresponds to the arm that is out to the side, or in Fourth Crossed, to the arm in front.

Bournonville: Á la Couronne or Fifth Position
Cecchetti: Fifth en Haut
French: Fifth Position or Bras en Couronne
R.A.D.: Fifth Position
Soviet Russian: Third Position

Bournonville: First
Cecchetti: First
Soviet Russian: First

Bournonville: Second
Cecchetti: Second
R.A.D.: Second
Soviet Russian: Second

Bournonville: Á la Lyre
Cecchetti: Third
R.A.D.: Third
Soviet Russian (Variant): Á deux bras

Cecchetti: Fourth
Faces corner and supporting leg is in plié. 

Cecchetti: Fifth
Faces corner and supporting leg is in plié.

Soviet Russian: Fourth
The body twists, and the head turns in opposition, so both the back and the face are toward the audience.

Soviet Russian: Third
Faces the audience.

French: Ouvert

French: Croisé