Yo-Yo
Intermediate Level
Going deeper — techniques and nuances for experienced dancers
A figure where the follower is sent out and snapped back like a yo-yo on a string — dynamic, playful, and all about timing.
Intermediate focus
Add a follower's spin at the far point of the yo-yo — she arrives at arm's length, spins, and returns. Practice varying the send distance: a short yo-yo (half arm's length) versus a long yo-yo (full extension). Chain yo-yos with fans: yo-yo out, fan left, yo-yo back. Play with the speed: a slow, sultry yo-yo over 8 counts for slow sections versus a sharp, rhythmic yo-yo over 4 counts for upbeat passages.
Tips
- •Imagine the arm connection is a rubber band. You stretch it out, and it naturally wants to return. Work with that elastic quality, not against it.
- •The send should decelerate as the follower reaches the far point — don't accelerate all the way to full extension.
- •Follower: let the connection bring you back. Your job on the return is to maintain your axis while traveling, not to rush back to the leader.
Common mistakes
- •Jerking the follower back instead of letting the elastic connection bring her back naturally
- •Sending too hard, pulling the follower off balance at the far point
- •Follower adding her own forward energy on the return, arriving too fast and crashing into the leader
- •Not maintaining the basic step timing through the send and return phases
Practice drill
20 yo-yos in a row: 10 with a spin at the far point, 10 without. Leader focuses on the send quality (smooth, decelerating). Follower focuses on the return quality (elastic, not rushed). Rate each yo-yo together. Goal: 8 out of 10 feel effortless.