Dancing meets yoga

Aerial moves are generally banned in most dance halls. And for good reason. A danger to those involved and possibly other too. Plus of course insurance issues and so forth come into play. People will carry out dips, drops, leans and various other stunts. Always ask the follower if they are up for any of these. Some have bad backs and other physical limitations that make these moves problematical.

The two-handed lean back balance is a joy to do outside on grass. It is somewhat harder to do than you might first think. The secret lies in nominating one person to control the balancing. One person needs to keep their arms in a reasonably fixed position allowing the other to make the adjustments. As you both gradually lean back the controller of the move will shift their weight by pulling their arms in or letting them out. You can look up to the ceiling or sky once fully reclined. Knees do not touch. A similar move with knees against one another is an unsightly cop out.

One can stand back-to-back, linking arms. Then one person leans froward taking the other off the ground. Making this look good is not easy. Consider your head position and how your legs are placed.

The flop involves standing in front of the follow. Take both arms, lower yourself a little and flop the follow on you back.

These types of moves are best done with a regular dance partner. It helps if both are of similar physical build. Megan could do all these as both the lead and follow. So, never assume women are significantly weaker than men.

A simpler end of song move entails dropping to one knee, turning your partner and inviting them to sit then lean back. Make sure they lean in the right direction!

The one thing to bear in mind with any lean is: do it slowly. Make sure you both are in the right position first. Followers must never start a lean until they feel the lead. If they do, they will often find themselves crashing to the floor.