How to Arabesque 540

This is an advanced level trick for flexible flyers who have mastered a steady liberty. The Arabesque 540 is a stunt in which a flyer, held in the air, extends one leg directly behind her, lowering her chest parallel to the floor and dismounts rotating 540 degrees. To accomplish this sequence, your stunt group must first master the basics of both a prep/elevator, full extension, as well as a single down.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cheerleading advisor or coach supervision
• A good surface, preferably matted
• An advanced flyer

1. The stunt group performs a liberty while facing toward the side of the mat rather than the front for visual purposes.

2. The flyer hits an arabesque with her arms in a “T” and her head facing the front of the mat. One leg is held in the bases’ hands and the other is behind her at a ninety degree angle with her toe pointed.

3. The flyer waits in the extension for the throw from her bases and back spot. Once she is released, she rides to the top and squares her shoulders to the front.

4. She takes a pocket to pocket technique remembering not to drop her shoulders or look down. She places her right arm across her chest to touch the left front pocket. The left arm goes behind her back to touch the right back and squares her shoulders to the front. It may be easier to bend her arms from the “T” position. In such case, her elbows would reach toward her pockets.

5. The flyer must throw her head in the direction of her arms while keeping her chin tucked. The tighter the head snap, the faster, the rotation.

6. After rotating 540 degrees, the flyer returns to pike position and opens her arms for the catch.

7. Bases need to bend with their legs, flick their wrists and rotate a quarter to make the catch while back spot need to dip with her legs, flick up and quarter turn making sure to catch the head and shoulders but keeping her face out of the way.

Tips & Warnings

• It is imperative the the flyer keeps her chest up in the arabesque. There is a natural tendency to drop it; the dismount will not be successful with a lowered chest.
• No one should talk while stunting except the coach or back spotter.
• The back spotter calls everything while stunting; she is in control of the stunt.
• Every stunt should be done to counts in order that everyone has the same timing. Timing is as important to proper stunting as strength and correct form.
• Everyone should know what position they are and what their job will be during the stunt. Stunting is a team effort!
• For additional resources on the Arabesque 540, please see the website resource below.