What does “Demi” mean in ballet?
( ; meaning 'half.') Applied to plié , pointe , and other movements or positions to indicate a smaller or lesser version.
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Definition adapted from Glossary of ballet on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearby terms
Danseur noble
A male ballet dancer who excels in refined classical roles, often playing the prince or ot…
Danseuse
A female ballet dancer.…
Dedans, en
( ; 'inwards.') Inside movement. Circular movement where a leg that starts at the back or …
Dehors, en
( ; 'outwards.') Circular movement where a leg that starts at the front or the side moves …
Demi-détourné
A pivoted half turn executed on both feet. For example, if starting right foot front in fi…
Demi-pointe
Supporting one's body weight on the balls of one or both feet, heels raised off the floor.…
Derrière
( ; literally 'behind.') At or to the back. For example, a battement tendu derrière is a b…
Dessous
( ; literally 'under.') Used to indicate that the front leg should be brought to close beh…