Acrobalance is a floor-based

acrobatic Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro ...

art that involves balances, lifts and creating shapes performed in pairs or groups. A performer on the ground doing the lifting and supporting in an acrobalance formation is often called the ''base'', while a performer being lifted or tossed can be referred to as the ''flyer'' (or ''flier''). Formats include male/female duo, trio, female/female, and other variations. Acrobalance acts require a high degree of care, coordination,

proprioceptive Proprioception ( ) is the sense of self-movement, force, and body position. Proprioception is mediated by proprioceptors, a type of sensory receptor, located within muscles, tendons, and joints. Most animals possess multiple subtypes of propri ...

awareness, and mutual trust from the performers in order to avoid injury; they are often set to music and performed as part of

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...

es. Acrobalance performances can now also be seen on a wide variety of shows such as street performances, incorporated into children's theater and as part of modern dance performances.

Technique

Acrobalance is the combination of the two athletic art forms: * '' Adagio'': consists of partner lifts, often performed by a strong base and a lighter flier, where the base lifts the flier in many different poses and positions. Many forms of adagio also incorporate throws and tosses; the base may throw the flier into

somersault A somersault (also ''flip'', ''heli'', and in gymnastics ''salto'') is an acrobatics, acrobatic exercise in which a person's body Rotation#Sports, rotates 360° around a horizontal axis with the feet passing over the Human head, head. A somersau ...

s, layouts, and other acrobatic maneuvers. Many styles of dance incorporate some form of adagio (as dance lifts), including ballet (in

pas de deux In ballet, a ( French, literally "step of two") is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. The ''pas de deux'' is characteristic of classical ballet and can be found in many well-known ...

), jazz, and lyrical. Ice skaters also perform lifts that belong to the adagio art. Whenever a person lifts another up in different artistic poses, or performs tosses where the bottom mounter catches the top mounter again, it is considered adagio. * ''Hand balancing'': performance of acrobatic body shape changing movements, or stationary poses, or both, while balanced on and supported entirely by one's hands or arms. It is performed by

acro dance Acro dance is a style of dance that combines classical dance technique with acrobatic elements. It is defined by its athletic character, its unique choreography, which blends dance and acrobatics, and its use of acrobatics in a dance context. I ...

rs, circus performers, gymnasts, and sports acrobats. Hand balancing may be performed by partners or individuals. In partner hand balancing, a strong bottom mounter supports the top mounter in

handstand A handstand is the act of supporting the body in a stable, inverted vertical position by balancing on the hands. In a basic handstand, the body is held straight with arms and legs fully extended, with hands spaced approximately shoulder-width apar ...

s, planches and other acrobatic poses. In solo hand balancing, a single artist performs handstands, one-hand stands, planches and other equilibristic maneuvers, usually on top of pommels, blocks or other apparatuses.

References

External links

Circus stunts tutorial
- Directions for performing some common acrobalance formations.
Truuk.nl
- A database of 220 acrobalance formations, including transitions between various poses. In Dutch.

- is a free resource that brings information and ideas together about the art of acro. This resource has been created to help acrobats develop their practice, and to foster a sense of global community. {{Circus skills Circus skills

Technique

See also

References

External links