Whether you're planning a grand entrance, a dreamy first dance, or a surprise spin that gets everyone cheering, these ballet-inspired first dance lifts are for couples who want to turn the reception into a performance. Bonus: you don't have to be a professional dancer (though shoes designed for movement definitely help).

Here are four wedding-worthy lifts, straight from the world of ballet and reimagined for your wedding dance:

1. Bluebird-Inspired Lift
The follower is scooped up and lifted onto the leader’s shoulder, supported at the waist—not the thighs. Once placed, she arches her upper body and extends her arms and legs in an expressive port de bras, creating a winged silhouette reminiscent of the Bluebird pas de deux from Sleeping Beauty.

2. Shoulder Sit to Fish Transition
Begin with a classic shoulder sit: the follower sits upright on the leader’s shoulder with both knees bent and arms lifted. Then comes the dramatic reveal—she arcs backward into a fish dive, assisted by the leader into a deep, supported dip. It’s a crowd-pleaser that blends ballet elegance with a dramatic finish.

3. Mermaid Lift
The follower begins with a deep plié before being lifted vertically in front of the leader. Her legs fold into a staggered shape—one extended and one bent—while her arms trace a soft curve overhead. She’s held midair as she transitions into an elegant tilt, echoing the curving lines of a mermaid mid-splash.

4. La Sylphide-Inspired Lift
Light, airy, and otherworldly. The follower floats into an overhead lift, one leg in tendu behind and her torso softly tilted. Her arms reach diagonally, like the weightless sylphs of Romantic ballet. A fairytale-worthy finish to your first dance.

Pro Tip: These lifts are easier (and safer) with rehearsal, clear cues, and shoes that support movement. LunaSol wedding shoes are designed with the features of professional dance shoes—flexible soles, center-balanced heels, secure straps, and dense memory foam—so you can lift, dip, and spin without changing shoes.

Ali Simone from LA AcroDance is wearing the Lace Ballroom Shoes with Embroidery from LunaSol. Explore shoes made for aisle-to-afterparty movement at LunaSolDance.com.