En Bas

En bas is a French term meaning low. In ballet, it almost always describes a low position of the arms, held gently rounded in front of the hips with a small space between the hands. This is often the starting and ending shape for a port de bras, giving dancers a calm, finished frame before and after the arms move.

Teachers use en bas as a quick cue, for example asking students to begin an exercise with the arms en bas. You might hear it in a barre combination like this: arms en bas, then open to second, then lift en haut. Practicing a soft, lifted en bas with the elbows supported keeps the shoulders down and the shape looking elegant rather than heavy.