Difficulty: Medium

Safety Warning: Make sure that you are properly warmed up before attempting the Flag. Do something to get your heart rate up like jogging on the spot. Then make sure you’ve had a good stretch through your body.

Alice takes you through a new acrobalance position called the flag. This is a partner acrobatics position and Alice shows you two versions, one easy, and one harder.

Flag easy version: The base (demonstrated by Alice) kneels down on the floor, while the flyer (demonstrated by brother Jake) steps up onto Alice’s thighs with one foot turned across both legs. You will then hold a ‘monkey grip’ which is wrist to wrist.

Jake then lifts up one leg to place it behind Alices’ neck . He flexes his foot, and Alice can lean her weight into it to create a point of contact. The base holds on to the flyers leg to add support to the structure. Finally you can let go of your hands and show off your new flag.

Flag harder version: In this version the base is also standing. However all the mechanics stay the same. You just need cooperative counter balance. We strongly advice having a third person available to spot.

Alice shows you how to stand as the base – knees together and slightly crouched. Jake then steps straight up onto Alices’ legs. If you are the flyer you should not try to lean backwards just yet as this will unbalance your base.

Once your flyer is standing, place your foot behind your bases neck. The base then leans back to counter balance themselves against the weight of the flyer.

If you are both comfortable, the flyer can twist their hips to be squared up and hands can be released to present your impressive new trick ‘the Flag’.

Don’t forget to practice being both the base and the flyer for the flag. This trick does not require the biggest and strongest person to base it. Although Alice is one of our strongest tutors, she is shorter and lighter than Jake. Instead the flag relies on counterbalance, so even the tallest of acrobats can be flyers, though we recommend every pairing start with the easier version first to check they are comfortable with their role.

If you enjoyed this trick and you’re looking for some more partner acrobatic moves why not take a look at Rachels’ video on pyramids? They may be a simpler trick but are perfect to incorporate into a routine if you are looking to string tricks together.

You can check out all our acrobatic and other discipline tutorials here.