In the Mexican state of Veracruz, men climb a 100-foot pole to ask the gods to end drought in a death-defying, 450-year-old tradition known as Danza de los Voladores or Dance of the Flyers. 

In this GoPro video, four men clamber up the pole, which according to the original story represents the tallest tree in the area. With the poise of a gymnast, and without a harness or safety net, the first man stands up, takes out a wooden pipe attached to a drum and plays a short ditty. The guy is now standing upright on an area that looks no bigger than a hubcap, playing two instruments at once.

Impressive—but the dare-devilry is just beginning.

The three other dancers then tie rope around one and other. Without warning they lurch back, causing the rope to unravel and the dancers to swing around the pole. Arms extended, the flyers soar through the air, still only attached to a piece of rope at their waist. The camera zooms in on one of the dancers, who even manages a smile. 

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