High bridges

Photos high bridges, rob and stuart. Or Rob and Indra in company folder.

Themes. Weight bearing, trust, support and transition, centre of gravity, balance and self awareness.

Exercises:

High bridge folder photos 1128 - 1134

Caution. As in the lower bridge ensure the stature and weight of the dancers are similar or that they have the self discipline to manage lifting someone off the floor.

Standing back to back and resting in the support of the partner, flex and extend the legs in unison to feel into the back surface connection. As in the sitting back to back exercise, one bends forward and the other goes back onto the support, the under dancer can place hands on their thighs/knees to brace their back.

To return the under-dancer lifts their head and spine watching that the over dancer reaches their feel towards the floor, then the under-dancer can stand up. Swap roles. One bends the knees to be lower and to assume the high bridge, and the over dancer extends up and back placing their centre onto the lower back (lumbar spine) of the under dancer. The position of the centre over the support is important to find stability in the lift.

Variations

Photos high bridge 1145

Side lifts. Start with a partner of similar size or stature, standing side by side, the under dance will lift their partner so puts the inside arm around their partner’s waist. The over dancers extends their body upwards as the under dancer bends to lower their centre, keeping full body contact on the inside. The under dancer takes a step out to the other side and up, taking the over dancer into a side lift – the over dancer opens the outer arm and leg out to the side into space, in a star shape. On coming back down the over dancer becomes the under-dancer lowering their centre and taking a step out to the other side taking the over-dancer up.