split / balancing act
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split
A gymnastics or dance exercise in which the legs are stretched in opposite directions so that they form a straight line.
Die Turnerin beendete ihre Kür mit einem perfekten Spagat.
The gymnast ended her routine with a perfect split.
In a sports context, the most common combination is 'einen Spagat machen' (to do the splits). Alternatively, you can also say that someone 'einen Spagat kann' (can do the splits) or 'einen Spagat lernt' (is learning to do the splits).
Nicht jeder kann ohne Training einen Spagat machen.
Not everyone can do the splits without training.
In the figurative meaning, 'Spagat' (balancing act) is almost always used in the structure 'der Spagat zwischen [thing A] und [thing B]' (the balancing act between [thing A] and [thing B]). This describes the challenge of combining two opposites.
Viele Eltern kennen den täglichen Spagat zwischen Beruf und Familie.
Many parents know the daily balancing act between work and family.
You can recognize the figurative meaning from the fact that it is about balancing abstract things such as 'Interessen' (interests), 'Anforderungen' (demands), or 'Rollen' (roles). The context is often politics, business, or private life.
Die Regierung versucht den Spagat zwischen Sparen und Investieren.
The government is attempting the balancing act between saving and investing.
compromise
'Kompromiss' and 'Spagat' can both have to do with difficult opposites. 'Kompromiss' means an agreement between people or groups. 'Spagat', in a figurative sense, refers more to the difficult task of managing two different demands at the same time. There does not necessarily have to be an agreement. The words can be confused because in both cases different interests come together. If the result is a shared solution, 'Kompromiss' fits. If you want to emphasize the difficulty between two sides or tasks, 'Spagat' fits.
Für viele Eltern ist der Alltag ein Spagat zwischen Beruf und Familie.
For many parents, everyday life is a balancing act between work and family.
Im Streit um das Geld schlägt er einen Kompromiss vor.
In the dispute over the money, he suggests a compromise.