Why isn't 3rd position used in ballet?

Question:why bother if its almost the same as 5th? and what IS 6th?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: why bother if its almost the same as 5th? and what IS 6th?

3rd position is almost like a beginer 5th. I agree with you though, it should be used more and I think it actually looks better than 5th

In Grade 5 RAD, you start to do more of a 'well crossed 3rd'

6th position is just parallel feet. I find its used more for younger students. But after my last RAD exam, after finishing a series of turns we finished in 6th position. But its usually more for Jazz and other styles of dance.

Hope this helps :)

3rd position as a position designed to teach younger children how to get directly to a position and hold it. it is also a precourser to 5th position, because it is easyer to balance in 3rd. it is not used because to most critics and profesionals, it looks childish, as if youre not preforming to your full potential.
6th position is more of a jazz/contemporary position. it is hard to explain so you should look up photographs.

6th position-also referred to as "parralel"
when your feet aren't turned out and closed together to look like this
l l

It's too much like 5th. It doesn't work anything, and it's kind of pointless.

I trained in Balanchine and Vaganova, but alot of my college professors taught cecchetti and made us use third. very ugly. 6th is parallel 1st position, with no more than three inches between the big toes.

If you watch a ballet being performed, then you will see, especially the female dancers, will often close in third not fifth in fast solos. When you actually learn it isn't used but after grade 3 in NATD ballet. sixth is used in class exams for the little ones. The feet are just parallel