The first step toward a great arabesque is learning what an arabesque is not: standing on one leg and kicking the other leg back as high as you can. A good ballet instructor will tell you that the quality of your arabesque will only improve as the quality of your technique improves. A perfect arabesque will serve as a reward for the dancer who works hard at the barre, concentrating on every aspect of every barre exercise. To perform an arabesque properly, a dancer must work hard on four fundamentals: correct posture, control of the feet, pulled-up knees and a straight body.
You can learn the correct form of an arabesque by practicing correct execution of grand battements to the back. The upper body should tilt forward slightly, the chest should be raised and the supporting leg must be straight. As with all of ballet, excellent results will follow improvements in basic technique.
