Yep, it's a courtship ritual.  When our male started doing it, we looked up info on wild mallard courtship.  Bingo, that's exactly what ours was doing.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/what-to-watch-for-duck-courtship-video/
	
		
			
		
		
	
				
			https://www.allaboutbirds.org/what-to-watch-for-duck-courtship-video/