Which term means 'half in the air'?

Which term means 'half in the air'?

• A. En l'air
• B. Effacée
• C. Demi en l'air
• D. Passés

Answer: (C)

In ballet vocabulary, height in the air is described by combining a height idea with en l'air. Demi en l'air uses demi, meaning half, with en l'air, meaning in the air. So it specifies a lift where the working leg is raised to a partial height—not fully airborne. This distinguishes it from en l'air alone, which would imply a higher or complete lift, and from terms like effacée (a specific body position) or passés (where the foot passes the knee). In practice, demi en l'air communicates a mid-level lift, which is exactly what the phrase “half in the air” describes.

In ballet vocabulary, height in the air is described by combining a height idea with en l'air. Demi en l'air uses demi, meaning half, with en l'air, meaning in the air. So it specifies a lift where the working leg is raised to a partial height—not fully airborne. This distinguishes it from en l'air alone, which would imply a higher or complete lift, and from terms like effacée (a specific body position) or passés (where the foot passes the knee). In practice, demi en l'air communicates a mid-level lift, which is exactly what the phrase “half in the air” describes.