Crossword Genius

One bird in ballet centre referring to the threshold of consciousness (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

liminal

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'referring to the threshold of consciousness' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'one bird in ballet centre' is the wordplay.
'one' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral).
'bird' becomes 'mina' (alternative spelling of myna).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'centre' means to look at the middle letters.
The central letters of 'ballet' are 'll'.
'i'+'mina'='imina'
'imina' put into 'll' is 'LIMINAL'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for liminal that I've seen before include "barely conscious" , "at the limit of consciousness" , "Of the threshold of consciousness" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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