Kandykane Dance: Jazz Dance Basics- Body Positions

Certain positions are used continually throughout a jazz dance class, or even during the warming up exercises as well as in combinations to create a variety of locomotor movements.

The Arch	The arch position of the spine is a curve of the torso upward and backward and is merely in arch of the cervical and thoracic spine. The hips do not change position. In the arch position contract the buttocks and abdominal muscles so that there is limited use of the lower back. There should be a feeling of lifting through the neck as opposed to a dropping of the head.
The Contraction	It indicates a drawing in, or shortening, of body parts. Although the term may refer to any body part, in jazz, contraction often refers to the torso. In a torso contraction, the front of the torso is concave so that the spine curves outward slightly. The lower back is ???, the abdoen is hollowed, and the pelvis is pulled forward with the shoulders held directly above the hips. The chest and shoulders should not slump, and the knees should be slightly bent.
The Flat Back or Tabletop position	A position in which the dancer bends forward from the hips at a 90-degree angle. The back is straight and parallel to the floor. In this position, the body weight should be over the toes with the heels just slightly in contact with the floor. The entire spine, from the base of the skull to the tailbone, should be in one flat line parallel to the floor.
The Diagonal Flat Back	The dancer bends from the hips until the straight back is parallel to the floor and then shifts the torso sideways until it is diagonal to the direction in which the legs are facing. The dancer must stretch equally on both sides.
The Hinge	The hinge is a tilt of the torso with an imaginary oblique straight line that passes from the tip of the ear through the shoulder, hip, and knee. Usually, the dancer performs the hinge in a standing position where knees bent and heels off the floor. The beginning dancer should execute this position on the knees before attempting the standing version.
The Lateral	The lateral position is any bend to the side. The bend can initiate from the waist or can be a tilt of the head and shoulders to the side.
The Lunge	The lunge is a position in which one foot is advanced as far as possible with the knee bent while the other foot remains stationary with the leg straight. The legs are either parallel or turned out in second or fourth position. Torso position can vary.
The Inverted Knee Position	Begin in a wide parallel second position. Rotate one knee inward, keeping the knee in line with the toes.
The Jazz Sit	The Jazz Sit is a position in which the body weight is maintained on one leg (straight). The knee of the opposite is bent, with the foot in a fourth arch position.
The Jazz Split	A Jazz Split is a half-split position on the floor, in which the front leg is straight and the rear leg is bent as in attitude. The Jazz Split is often reached from a standing position. (weight on outside edge so turned-out is maintained)
Below are some Ballet Positions that are often used in Jazz Dance
The Arabesque	The body is supported on one leg, which may be straight or in demi-pile, while the other leg is fully extended to the rear and raised as high as possible to the back. The arms are held in various harmonious positions, usually with one arm, extended forward to create a long straight line from the fingertips of the extended front arm to the toes of the extended leg. The hips and shoulders should remain square to the direction the body is facing. The upper torso should be held upright, although as the extended leg is raised to greater heights, the body may lean slightly forward to maintain the long straight line.
The Attitute	Balance on one leg, with the opposite leg extended, knee bent, to the front, side, or rear. The thigh of the bent leg is parallel to the floor, and the toe is as high as, or slightly below, the height of the knee.
The Coupe	‘to cut’ is a postiion of the foot as well as a small intermediary step that is usually done as a preparation or impetus for another step. As a position, it is executed either in the front or in the back. The foot wraps the ankle when the coupe is in front. When using coupe back, only the heel touches the ankle and the toes point away from the leg. As a movement, the coupe occurs when the lifted foot ‘cuts’ away and teakes the place of the supporting leg.
The Passe	‘passed through’, balance on one leg, with the opposite leg bent and the toe pointed to touch the hollow of the knee of the standing leg. When the passe is performed in turnout, the standing leg and the bent knee are turned out as far as possible. It can also be in parallel position in jazz dancing, with the knees of both legs pointing straight ahead and the foot of the bent leg pressed firmly against the knee of the standing leg.