Drops – the Holy Grail of aerial work (they’re not, but that’s another post). From the moment my darlings start classes, I see them eyeing the rolls, the slides, the flips, the wedgies – they WANT it (especially the wedgies)! But ya’ll…..

My eyeballs……

I saw one young hopeful on Instagram attempting open drops, but they couldn’t yet invert cleanly. I see students online with legs and spines whipping like noodles on advanced roll drops. I see Facebook videos with people flailing like angry badgers on drops which could easily end with dislocations. People – MY HEART CANNOT TAKE THIS!

The Smart and Sassy Student’s Guide to Approaching Drops

Drops come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and levels of wedgie; from high-tumbling quads to teensy slack drops. They’re a fun and important part of silks, rope, etc, but (BUTT), you’ve gotta be ready for the drop you’re attempting. Different drops have different prerequisites, but I’m most often looking at:

• Essential tension – is this student going to flop like a gummy worm on the way down?
• Prep skills, inversions, etc – some drops require nothing less than perfection in the invert category, some you can fudge a bit. Is the student strong enough to fully execute the wrap, drop, and proper dismount? And by proper dismount, I do not mean puddling to the floor, quivering and moaning, “whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy”.
• Understanding of the theory – do they know how/why the drop works? Recreational students often loooooove to gloss over this part in their haste to do ALL the fancy things for Instagram. Knowledge is power, people.
• Listening skills – can this student accurately interpret verbal cues in the air?
• Emotional readiness – is this student likely to panic when a drop gets a little pinchy? How’s their fear level? Are they capable of making good decisions on the fly (example: my grip is super fatigued – should I let go to pass the rope behind my back, or straddle and come down)?
• A certain level of non-flakiness, and a common-sense aversion to risk is preferred. I’m not going to lie – if I see ZERO apprehension, nervousness, questioning, etc when someone is up for their first drop, I do a quick check-in. If you’re an adrenaline junkie who likes their pony tail to brush the floor at the end of a drop, or if I’m constantly wondering how you function with that level of spaciness, I’ll be doubling down on your prerecs.

Drops in Class

I hate – HATE – when students ask me two questions when they’re 20 feet up about to do a drop.

1. Am I wrapped correctly? If you’re not sure, dismantle the wrap and come down. You are not ready to do this drop. Wrap it on the floor until it makes sense.
2. Am I high enough? If you have to ask (and it’s not your first time doing the drop), come down and let’s go over your theory.

Hear me now. 20 FEET UP IS NOT THE TIME TO ASK ME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUNDAMENTALS OF YOUR DROP (love you!), or anything else, for that matter. Here’s how this should go:

1. Get excited. Miss Laura’s teaching a new drop and I’m ready for it – HOORAY!
2. Get out your notes. Watch and listen carefully. What’s similar to previous drops? What’s different? How high does it need to be? Why? Ask questions about theory.
3. What could go wrong? Make sure you are very, very clear on whether there is a “no go” for this drop. Write it down in big capital letters. Highlight it. Write it down again.
4. Wrap it low, roll it out on the floor. Do this EVERY TIME you’re reviewing a drop that you don’t know backwards and forwards.
5. Got questions? Need to verbally review the sequence? Ask while you’re on the floor.
6. Git it! If you feel ready, and your teacher agrees, go forth and plunge, people!

Drops on Your Own

Gotten the green light to twirl and plummet on your own? Don’t care if you have the green light, you’re gonna do it anyway? M’kay.

1. Repeat after me, m’love – NO NEW DROPS. Throw the drops you know like the back of your hand, and save the maybes for class time, or for a time when you can get a reputable set of eyes on you.
2. You’re in a space with professional rigging and appropriate matting, right? Not your neighbor’s tree with a couch cushion underneath? Just checking.
3. If you’re in a new space, check your notes, roll it out on the floor. Note any bounce or play in the rigging (or lack thereof) that might affect the drop, make adjustments accordingly.
4. Check in with your body – some drops are best saved for a day when your hammie is NOT throbbing, for example. Cranky back? Sinuses exploding? Feeling spacey? You don’t get points for torturing yourself this way. Save it for another session.

Now, for some tough love. It takes a special kind of arrogance to throw new drops without proper matting, or without mats at all. Hear me now, people. Incorrectly wrapped or executed drops can result in sprains, whiplash, burns, and broken necks. You don’t get to be cavalier about them. Respect the risk, respect the work, respect the process, respect the community.

May your rolls be level, your wedgies be shallow, and your landings light! Love and pull-ups, Laura