Arabesque (ballet position)

Galina Kekisheva, a former soloist of the Kirov Ballet who studied with Agrippina Vaganova at the Leningrad School of Dance has described the changes in Russian ballet technique over time: Now it seems unimportant in the school if the dancer stands on his or her leg properly pulled up, or sits back into the hip socket. What is important to today's dancers is that the arabesque is higher than the head. There is no low arabesque that maintains a beautiful line, an arabesque from which, for example, you can do a turn. When you're sitting back on the [joint of the standing] leg, you can't go anywhere from there. Kekisheva, who is now a coach with the Mariinsky ballet, has said that "Vaganova's method is dissipating, and working in the classical repertoire has become more difficult". The supporting and working legs are both fully turned out through the legs (not just from the hips). When performed with open arms, the shoulders are rotated about the spine so as not to affect the position or curvature of the spine. ==Balanchine==

Suki Schorer has described the Balanchine arabesque as "longer, stronger and bigger". Balanchine would instruct students to "reach for diamonds" in both directions so the dancer's hands are not relaxed—the dancer's line should be elongated, but the arms should not be stiff. Arabesque pliée Schorer says the arabesque pliée "is good to build strength in your legs to control the rate of descent to hold your body up when you land". The dancer's bent knee is over the toe and the dancer should not penchée or tilt forward. ==Royal Academy of Dance==

In the RAD system, there are three main arabesques. Here they are described for a dancer facing point 6: • First arabesque is taken standing en ouvert on the right leg with the left leg extended. The right arm is extended forwards at eye height, parallel with the right shoulder. The left arm is at the side, slightly behind and below the left shoulder. • Second arabesque has a more 'square' feel to it. The dancer stands on their left leg, with their right leg extended. The right arm is extended forwards at shoulder height, and the left arm is extended directly sideways from the shoulder. This can also be taken en ouvert, standing on the right leg and extending the left arm forwards. • Third arabesque is taken en ouvert. The dancer stands on their right leg, with their left leg extended behind. The right arm is extended forwards at eye height, and the left arm is extended parallel to it at shoulder height. ==Classical choreography==

The "Shades scene" from La Bayadère, choreographed by Marius Petipa, is one of the masterpieces of classical style. It opens with a corps de ballet of 28 female dancers, dressed in white performing a simple arabesque as they make their entrance one by one. ==References==