Know the closed foot position. Begin in 1st position, with feet together at the ankles and turned out as far as you can. Move your right foot in front of your left foot so that your feet are apart. Point your right toes to the right, and your left ones to the left. Your feet should be about one foot (12 inches) apart, or at least as far as the length of your own foot. The heel of your right foot should be in perfect alignment with the toes on your left foot. Also, the heel of your left foot should be in line with the toes on your right foot.
Know the open foot position. The open forth position is like the fifth position, except that your feet are apart. Your feet, as with closed forth, should be about a foot apart, with the right in front of the left. Unlike closed forth, in open forth, the heel of the front foot is in line with the heel of the back foot. Both feet should be turned out as much as possible and your weight divided between them equally. To execute the position properly and avoid permanent damage to the body, avoid falling into a rolled ankle or collapsed arches. Both open and closed forth positions may be performed with the left foot in front, instead of the right.
Know the arm position. Along with the proper foot placement, a ballerina must learn the accompanying arm placement for each position. In forth position, the right arm is curved above the head in a semi circle. The left arm is also curved in a semi circle. However, the left arm should be in front of the body with the fingertips on the same plane as your navel. If you are having difficulty with the arm positions, imagine that each arm is holding a beach ball. This image may help you to form the proper circular shape.