Acrosport: Pyramids and balances

Hands grips
Hand grips are used in all phases of a pyramid-assembling, holding the formation and disassembling.
1. Hand to hand: Hands are joined in a shake-hands positions.
It can be:

Simple Crossed double Mixed crossed double Double

2. Claw: This grip is usually used for pulling a performer or holding a position.
It can be:

Simple Double

3. Hand-to-wrist: This grip is usually used for pulling a performer or holding a position. This grip is stronger than
claw one.

Simple Double

4. Arm-to-arm: This grip is used in advanced pyramids for support in the inverted position.

5. Interlocked wrist and hands (platform): This grip is used for climbing in pyramids and for tossing (pitching in
acrobatics).

Assembling safety rules

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 Base performers
Strongest and heaviest participants should be the base performers.
Your position must be balanced all the time and you should have a position that you could keep a long time.
For example for the hands-and-knees position your back should be straight and your arms and legs should be parallel

Correct hand-and-knees position Incorrect hand-and-knees position

In other positions your body also must be balanced

Correct standing position Correct hand support in high kneel Correct hand support in a bent hip
position stand position

Top performers
When the base performer is supporting a top performer in a standing position on the shoulders, the back must be kept as
straight as possible in order to prevent unnecessary strain on the spine

Correct position Incorrect position

Also in hands-and-knees position top performer must stay over the hip or shoulders so that bodyweight is supported by
thighs or arms of the base performer.

Correct position Incorrect position

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 Class work book

Positions for one performer

Position Rep Position Rep Position Rep

Low bridge
Upright kneel Sitting kneel

Sitting
High kneel Standing (one)

Front support Stag kneel

Side support

Arabesque Hand-and-knees
Standing (two)

hand support in a bent

Hand support high kneel Front lunge
hip stand

Stag head stand Hand stand

Head stand

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 Counterbalances

Counterbalance rep Counterbalance rep Counterbalance rep Counterbalance rep

Double balances

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5
pyramids of three
6
7
 pyramids of four, five and six

english workbook
Fill the blanks,

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 If you have to fill the descriptions part, then you should speak about the grip and grasps, and positions and movements of
the body of base and top.

Forward thigh stand

E
A C D
B

A. Base leaning against the wall. Top standing on the bench.

B. Base grasp waist of Top, who grasp wrists of base. Top step thighs of base.
C. Top straightens body.
D. Base shift grasp to midthighs of top, then rises to release support from wall. Top raises arms.
E. Base shift grasp to Top, who steps back to bench

Reverse thigh stand

A B C D
E

Foot-to-shoulder balance

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 D E
A B C

Low Hip-to-Hand balance

A B

Sit-to-foot balance

A B C
A Base lying on back with feet up and legs bent. Top in reverse foot-to-hand grip, sitting on feet of base
and holding Base’s ankles.
B Base extend arms and legs to raise Top, who maintains grip of ankles of Base

C Base releases feet of top, who raises legs and arms.

Sit-to-foot balance

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 A B C D
A Base lying on back with feet up and legs bent, feet on buttocks of Top, and top crouched stand, holding
ankles of the base.
B Top leans shoulders backward into hands of Base, and releases hand from ankles of base

C Top raises legs and places hands on side of hip while Base maintains support on shoulders

D Top holds hip firmly to maintain horizontal position while Base extend legs and let arms on the floor.

Reverse thigh balance on a double lunge

A B C

Reverse thigh balance on a double lunge (this is almost like the previous one)

A B C
A Two base performers in a high-kneel position with inside legs up. Top behind bases puts hands on inside
shoulders of bases and step onto raised thighs of bases.
B Bases hold top with inside hands on the inner sides of thighs of top. Outside arms of bases and arms of
tops are raised sideward-upward to shoulder level.
C Base performers rise to a lunge position to complete the balance.

Flag balance on a double high kneel

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 A B C
A Top standing with bent legs, facing bases, with hands on heads of the base performer. Bases crouched in
a high-kneel position with inside legs up, and hands and inside hands and outside hands grasping thighs and
ankles of top, respectively.
B Top pushes from heads of bases, and bases push against thighs using ankle grasp.
C Completed position has top inclined with locked knees and with arms at a shoulder level. Bases erect in a
high kneel position pulling slightly to stabilize position of top’s legs.

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 Taking pictures of your pyramids
Group:

• From now on you don’t copy more pyramids and balances, you are going to make up your own ones.
• You have to draw your pyramid or take a picture and paste it.
• Remember that you have to think not only about the holding, but also about the assembling and disaselembling.

First Second

Third Forth

Fifth Sixth

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 Acrosport evaluation sheet
En estas dos últimas sesiones tu grupo y tú vais a elaborar un montaje coreográfico mediante el acrosport. La
evaluación final será realizada mediante tus compañeros.

Serán elementos obligatorios Elementos opcionales

• Desplazamientos
• Una posición de partida y final • Percusiones
• Número de componentes • Elementos de Gim.Artística
• Formación de pirámides 3-4 • Elementos de Gim.Rítmica
• Utilización del espacio • Utilización de un estilo de danza (rap,
• Música salsa....)

Para evaluar mediante esta hoja ten en cuenta que en cada categoría tienes que valorar con 0, 0`5,1,1’5 ó 2.
También debes apuntar las notas que te han puesto tus compañeros

Evaluación que los demás Evaluación que hacemos de los

hacen de nosotros demás grupos.

Criterios Notas que te han

puesto
G1. Nombre del profesor alumno:

G2. Nombre del profesor alumno:

G3. Nombre del profesor alumno:

G4. Nombre del profesor alumno:

MEDIA

Dificultad de la ejecución
Precisión en el montaje y desmonaje
Mantenimiento de las pirámides
Coordinación entre los miembros del grupo
¿Ha sido original?
SUMA TOTAL

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 Verbs
Word Picture Example

Grasp

Hold

Fall

Pull

Push

Climb

Shake

Toss

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Straighten

Bend

Support

Kneel

Lean (forward)

Shift

Rise

Release

Lie down

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Face

Step (forward,
onto…)

Crouch down, squat

tumble

Nouns
Word Picture Example

Grip

Assembling

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Dissaslembling

Commands

Directions

Fellows

Partner

Performance

Pyramid

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Balance

Claw

Base(performer)

Top(performer)

Strain

Spine

Stag

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Lunge

Upward*

Downward*

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