Hey dance.net,
I´m a beginner in jazz classes and there is a question that has been bugging me all day.

What is the right port de bras while doing a pirouette? Is it with your arms in first position?,with your fists together creating a straight line with your arms? or any other? I'm confused, since some teachers have taught me that arms should be in first and some others say its the other way.

diva99

In jazz arms are held however your teacher/choreographer asks you to hold them. Sometimes it may be in 1st (or 5th devant) which is the most common position for pirouette in ballet. Often in jazz, especially in pom or cheer, arms are held in a modified position with fists together as you describe. Neither is more correct than the other. You may be asked to do your pirouettes with one hand on your shoulder and the other on your hip. It makes no difference. You just need to pay attention to the way your teacher want it done and do it that way. Good luck with your studies. You sound like a terrific student Don't be afraid to ask your teachers this sort of question.

Vista has it. Pirouettes are such a large field. You can do pirouettes in many different leg positions and arm positions. The "base" position is passe (turned out in ballet, turned in in jazz) with arms rounded in 1st position across from the sternum. There are a million different ways to do it, though, so if you ever have a question about what your arms are doing for a movement, ask your teacher.

As a teacher I LOVE it when my students ask me about a detail of the movement: it shows that they are progressing quickly and understand that while I told them what they're doing they can always understand it to more detail. It's always a good sign when they ask me to clarify something I haven't said before.