Waterfall

Type Other, Pony Step
Level Level 4 Intermediate
Other Names Follower’s Head Loop
Comes From Crossed Arm Slide, Cross-Handed Open Position, Double Lasso, Lasso
Leads To Fall For Me Dip, Outside Turn (right-to-right), Double Lasso, Cross-Handed Open Position, Break Up

Description

In the Waterfall, the leader loops the follower’s arms over the back of her head one at a time in a continuous motion.

I rarely see this move used in Two Step or Country Swing, but it is easy and elegant. It doesn’t always require stepping, so I’m including it with the Intermediate set where dancers tend to be able to keep the beat internally (in their head).

Begin in a cross-handed position, right-to-right and left-to-left by performing a Crossed Arm Slide, or other move.
Face-to-face with your partner, bring your top connected arm (left, usually), over the follow’s head, disconnect when it’s behind the follow’s neck.
Bring your right arm over to repeat with the other arm, and at the same time bring your left hand in front again to reconnect. Repeat as long as you like.
When you want to get out of the move, go into one of the suggested moves above.

Tips

As you practice this move, aim for a continual flow of movement, like water down a waterfall!
Follows, avoid ducking your head for each arm loop, just keep your head upright.
It can be done slow or fast depending on the beat of the music, whether you’re stepping with it, and the musicality of your dancing. For more tips, see the post on Musicality.
This can be a good stall movement when you’re waiting a few beats for a moment to do the Fall For Me Dip.
It can also be done in another country style called the Pony Step (which I will post about another time, since that’s a whole other thing).