Defining Line in Ballet: The Essential Framework Teachers Need
- Geeky Ballerina
- Sep 4
- 3 min read
Every ballet teacher, coach, and critic talks about "line." "Improve your lines," "he has such beautiful lines," "don't break your line." But here's the problem: the same word is being used to describe completely different concepts.
After years of research into how artistry can be taught and coached, I realized that "line" in ballet actually refers to three distinct types of movement and positioning. Understanding this framework doesn't just clarify your teaching vocabulary—when teachers jump between different types of line work without clear distinctions, students never fully master any of them.
The Problem with Vague Line Terminology
When we tell a student to "fix your line," which line are we addressing? The straight line of their leg? The curved path their arm travels through space? The illusion of extension they create in grand jeté? Without clear definitions, our corrections become confusing and our students struggle to apply our guidance.
The Three Types of Line in Ballet
1. Straight and Static Lines
These are the foundation of all ballet training—the lines created by proper alignment, posture, and placement. Straight and static lines include:
Spinal alignment and core stability
Proper placement of the pelvis over the base of support
Center line awareness and maintenance
Clear positioning in space
This is where we begin with all dancers, regardless of age. Before students can focus on beautiful curved movements or illusions of extension, they must master the fundamental straight lines of proper ballet positioning.
2. Curved and Dynamic Lines
Once students have established their straight and static foundation, we shift our attention to curved and dynamic lines. These involve movements where one point remains fixed while another travels through space:
Port de bras: The center stays stable while the fingertips trace curves through space
Leg and spinal movements: The pelvis remains the fixed point while the working toe creates curves along the floor/head and shoulders create curves through the air
Traveling through space: How is our center of gravity moving through the studio
These curved lines become more sophisticated as students advance, evolving into complex concepts like épaulement and refined spatial awareness.
3. The Illusion of Line
This is the most advanced concept—creating the visual impression that the dancer's body extends farther through space than it physically does. Examples include:
Refined suspension and ballon in jumping
The illusion of ever-growing extension in arabesque
Creating visual length that exceeds actual body dimensions
The illusion of line is what transforms technically correct movement into breathtaking artistry. But it can only be achieved successfully after mastering the first two types. This clear progression is part of the comprehensive frameworks I've developed to help teachers understand not just what to teach, but when students are ready for each concept.
Why Teaching Order Matters
Here's what I've discovered over the 25+ years I've been teaching: if you teach these three types of line out of order, your students' technique will never be as clean as it could be. Ever.
Many teachers unknowingly jump between all three types in a single class, creating confusion and limiting technical development. But when you teach them systematically—one type at a time, in developmental order—two remarkable things happen:
Your teaching becomes simpler because you only focus on one definition of line at a time
Your students become more refined dancers, though very few people will be able to put their finger on exactly why
This comprehensive approach to line development is just one example of how thoughtful progression transforms ballet training. In my book, Artistry Inside Ballet Technique, Volume 1, I explore each type of line in comprehensive detail, including how they integrate with spatial planes, developmental timing, and practical classroom applications.
Explore the complete line development framework in "Artistry Inside Ballet Technique, Volume 1" →
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