A ceiling fan (10) is disclosed having a motor housing (11) which encases an electric motor (13). The motor includes a bottom mounting plate (14) that rotates and thereby drives an annular array of blade irons (16), each having a blade (17) mounted thereto in conventional fashion. Each blade iron is mounted for pivotal and radial movement relative to the bottom mounting plate. An annular balancing ring (28) causes pivotal and radial movement of other blade irons (36) in response to the radial movement of an off-balanced blade iron (35).