Hi everyone - I'm looking for some new lifts to try with my students. I need them to be "big" ones, where we can hold them up or travel for several counts. I would like it to involve about 5 students if possible. They already do the "jesus" lift (as I call it, clearly not the correct term!) where 3 or 4 girls pick up one over their heads and travel with her. The girl who gets picked up is laying flat, feet together, arms out to the side.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

I LOVE putting lifts in my dances. It definitely brings a good element in. Ok, I have a few for you ready?
First is along the same lines as the Iron Cross lift you described, it involves 4 people, 3 lifters and a liftee haha. You begin as you would for the iron cross, hips pressed up, arms out, legs together. Then, the person holding their feet backs up until they liftees legs are vertical , and turns around, and walks toward the back of the room, raising the liftees legs back up. This will make the liftee go from having their back toward the ground when theyre parallel to the ground, to having their chest and belly toward the ground so its almost like theyre flying. If you want to expand on this, have the taller person be holding their legs, and when they walk through so the liftee is facing the ground, the liftee can then tuck their chin and shoulders and kick their legs over, almost like a walkover in the air.
You can also do another lift where again, their are 3 lifters. lifter 1 holds the liftees hands, lifter 2 holds their hips, and lifter 3 holds their thighs. So all 3 lifters are facing stage left, and the liftee is facing stage right. Lifters will have to begin squatting and the liftee will have to begin almost leaning over lifter 2 and 3 to hold onto lifter 1's hands. At the same time, all 3 lifters stand up, pressing the liftee into the air (liftee should be facing the ground as she goes up) and the liftee arches her back and reaches her toes to her head (like the thing you do on the ground when you stretch your stomach muscles). It is very cool to see!
Have you tried lifting someone in a split? This requires 3 lifters and a liftee. One lifter per leg, one supporting the liftee by holding her hand, while the liftees other hand is up in the air. Then you slowly walk around in a circle to turn the lift. To get down either just lower her down, or have her tuck and hold onto the lifters and come down like a roll. Hope that helps!!!

great ideas!! Thanks so much! I'll have them try it this weekend and try to post some pics