Ballet Dictionary: Effacé
Photo by Mark Sumaylo • Text by Abigail Oliveiro
Step: Effacé
How: The term Effacé is used to describe the direction of the body using the legs as reference. In Effacé, the dancer’s legs look open, without crossed lines. You could say that Effacé is the opposite of being in Croisé. Effacé can be done in 4th position, 5th position or with a working leg in devant (front) or derrière (back). The direction that “Effacé” always faces is the corner. Here, the dancer is demonstrating a 4th position in Effacé. Her legs appear open from the audience as there aren’t any “lines” being crossed. The way a teacher would instruct this position for example, is to say: Échappé Relevé 4th in Effacé (This informs the dancer that the position is to be done in 4th position en pointe, in an open alignment), left foot in front (This then lets the dancer know to face the left corner as this would create an open alignment with the left foot in front).
Dancer: Kotomi Narai, Company Artist, Ballet Manila
