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killingtime
7th-February-2007, 03:56 PM
Recently (ooh say Southport a couple of days ago) I was informed that my man spin was a little... camp? This was confirmed by another girl there who agreed that it was more of a Gary Spin than a Man Spin. I figured that wouldn't do, wouldn't do at all as it is quite clearly a man spin not a girly spin or something like that. Therefore I need to macho up my man spin. I figured maybe if I gave a manly grunt as I went past? Or had a pint in my hand as I did the spin?

Anyone with any suggestions on how I can butch up my man spins? I don't care if the rest of my dancing looks camp it's just important that said spin of men looks as manly as possible.

Thanks :flower: :hug:!

Caro
7th-February-2007, 04:04 PM
I have to say I don't remember if it was you (I think it might have been) or not but one guy I danced with had sometimes his wrist 'broken' (as in bent 90 deg angle from the forearm) from time to time when we danced, and I remember thinking ... 'that doesn't look very manly that'... :whistle:

I'd say keep everything straight :innocent:

straycat
7th-February-2007, 04:05 PM
Anyone with any suggestions on how I can butch up my man spins? I don't care if the rest of my dancing looks camp it's just important that said spin of men looks as manly as possible.


To be honest, I think it can't be counted as a real manly manspin unless you drop-kick three little old ladies through the nearest window on your way round, a la Chuck Norris.**

Stray
**it can be tough getting that many little old ladies into our local venues these days, for some reason, which is why I don't do a whole lot of manspins anymore.

Beowulf
7th-February-2007, 04:05 PM
Gary Spin

a what? Who's Gary? I do Pete Spins.. they're not particularly MANLY either.

Why worry? it just shows you're more in touch with your feminine side anyway. and isn't dancing in general perceived to be camp by non dancers anyway?

when I read this post I immediately thought of the Burger king advert for "Manly burgers.. "Man that's a lot of meat"

dance dressed as a fireman, or a rugby player.. advertisers always try to tell us that that's what manly is supposed to look like :rolleyes: (never the bespectacled geek.. no!!! :mad: )

Caro
7th-February-2007, 04:08 PM
dance dressed as a fireman...

now there's an interesting idea :drool:

remind me, when's the beach ballroom again?

straycat
7th-February-2007, 04:11 PM
dance dressed as a fireman
now there's an interesting idea :drool:

Aye - I'm told they have pretty long hoses :whistle:

ducasi
7th-February-2007, 04:12 PM
dance dressed as a fireman, or a rugby player.. advertisers always try to tell us that that's what manly is supposed to look like :rolleyes:
Additionally, you could be carrying a baby in order to look new manly. :)

Caro
7th-February-2007, 04:15 PM
Aye - I'm told they have pretty long hoses :whistle:

:really:

I did wonder who would come up first with the easy hose joke and send this thread upstairs...:whistle:

MartinHarper
7th-February-2007, 04:27 PM
I shouldn't be allowed to post on this thread....
You could turn your man spin signals into the start of a martial-arts style blocking routine. So start your man spin with a right-handed right-to-left block at head height, followed by a left-handed left-to-right block at head height as you catch right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgVTTmBJOOI

Lee Bartholomew
7th-February-2007, 04:33 PM
Insead of doing one spin do 12 :whistle:

Gav
7th-February-2007, 04:56 PM
Dance near Dave the Scaffolder. Everything you do will look manly then :D

Sorry Dave, couldn't resist :love:

Beowulf
7th-February-2007, 05:14 PM
I shouldn't be allowed to post on this thread....
You could turn your man spin signals into the start of a martial-arts style blocking routine. So start your man spin with a right-handed right-to-left block at head height, followed by a left-handed left-to-right block at head height as you catch right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgVTTmBJOOI

Hmm.. wouldn't those moves require a whole new set of skills?

And would it not mean the lead would need to be as fast as lightning
and in fact become a little bit frightning
But dancing it with expert timing?

(can hear the track now...
Oooh ooooh oooh ooooooooh HA!
Oooh ooooh oooh ooooooooooh HA!)

Jhutch
7th-February-2007, 05:40 PM
Maybe you could form your hand into a fist and swing your arm round in the style of a solid, manly, definitely not-camp punch?:)

killingtime
7th-February-2007, 06:03 PM
a what? Who's Gary? I do Pete Spins.. they're not particularly MANLY either.

Gary is me. I probably should have put [killingtime] spin, but that's kinda scary.


...manly manspin unless you drop-kick three little old ladies through the nearest window on your way round, a la Chuck Norris.**

"There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live."


dance dressed as a fireman, or a rugby player..


Insead of doing one spin do 12 :whistle:


You could turn your man spin signals into the start of a martial-arts style blocking routine.


Maybe you could form your hand into a fist

So so far I've got do 12 spins while dress as a fireman and keeping a manly fist doing some fu like Chuck Norris on the way around?

Yeah I can do that :sick:.

As a side note since I've had a PM and a comment. I only started this post because I said I would. I don't really care about making my man spin more manly, I not really striving to have the most manly man spin in all of man-spinydom or anything. I was hoping that people would pick up on the slightly humorous nature of the thread when I talked about spinning with a pint in hand.

TheTramp
7th-February-2007, 06:25 PM
Just do spins next to Jamie doing his. You'll look manly then! :wink:

Jamie
7th-February-2007, 06:39 PM
Just do spins next to Jamie doing his. You'll look manly then! :wink:

... Anyone looks manly next to me, I spend most of my time dancing as a lady (Emily Howard Stylee) :rofl:

MartinHarper
7th-February-2007, 06:40 PM
I want to make my American spins more American.
Any advice?

killingtime
7th-February-2007, 06:42 PM
I want to make my American spins more American.

Wear a cowboy hat and go "yee-ha" when you do it?

TheTramp
7th-February-2007, 06:46 PM
I want to make my American spins more American.

Move 3500 miles further west.

straycat
7th-February-2007, 06:52 PM
I want to make my American spins more American.
Any advice?

You could always take out a few nearby British dancers with friendly fire while spinning? (just make sure Chuck Norris isn't around - he doesn't like it when others steal his prey)

Dai
8th-February-2007, 12:53 AM
Just do spins next to Jamie doing his. You'll look manly then! :wink:


... Anyone looks manly next to me, I spend most of my time dancing as a lady (Emily Howard Stylee) :rofl:

He even manages to make me look manly when doing a man spin with him/next to him!! :rofl:

Alice
8th-February-2007, 01:45 AM
Every time I see this thread I get the Robin Hood song Men in Tights in my head:what:

Not suggesting you should start wearing tights to look more manly though:sick: :wink:

Ghost
8th-February-2007, 02:10 AM
Don't spin at all, just stand there Killing Time :whistle:

Gadget
8th-February-2007, 02:45 PM
Recently (ooh say Southport a couple of days ago) I was informed that my man spin was a little... camp?
I've noticed a few dancers (and on some very experianced/good dancers) tend to have 'camp' hands, especially on the man spin - it's not the actual spin that's camp, it's the preperation:

Weight on the back foot, front heel lifted slightly, hips and shoulders turned slightly away, head facing, back elbow behind shoulder line, with the fore-arm away from the body and hand hanging loosley, lead hand holding on.
Assume this position and tell me it's not camp... lier.:na:

A couple of things I try to do that addresses each point:
- when stepping back, heep the hips (and shoulders) parallel to your partner.

- Don't signal, but don't have a 'dead arm'; elbows should be slightly bent at all times and hands slightly raised (Nb: in general terms, the further from your body your hands are, the camper you will look)

- when you draw your elbow back for the signal, the rest of your body follows and you tend to rotate; be aware of this and counter it.

- try not to move the fore-arm away from the body; the follower should be looking down the length of it, not at it's side

- think about having more of the fleshy bit of your palm/thumb facing your partner rather than the top of your wrist (without raising the fore-arm above horizontal)

- On the step in, lead the follower forward, then pivot on the left; this is the point to start taking the hand over your linked hands.

- Don't reach past yourself when turning to catch; let your hips and legs move your body round to face rather than having your shoulders face and the rest of you catch up. (To do this, you may have to alter the timeing of how you normally do the move)

- (There is also a shoulder roll thing that some stylish followers do when rotating to face, bringing the lead shoulder up and forward as they enter the rotation and taking the opposite one down and back on exit; if you have been leading some of them and have started mimicing, then then it can look camp as well.)

... lots more about the lead, connection and timeing you could say, but none of it results in a more or less camp execution.

{This is why I still do beginners classes - so much more to learn about the "basic" moves! :D}

Lee Bartholomew
8th-February-2007, 02:50 PM
You could always leave the handbag at your table?

Lory
8th-February-2007, 03:57 PM
I figured maybe if I gave a manly grunt as I went past?


Ahh that explains it.... I'd assumed it was something to do with your tummy bug :D
Just do spins next to Jamie doing his. You'll look manly then! :wink:


... Anyone looks manly next to me, I spend most of my time dancing as a lady (Emily Howard Stylee) :rofl:

If you don't want to emulate Jamie's camp spins.. then, do NOT place your hands/arms across your chest whilst spinning, in the 'about to be layed out in a coffin' style! :wink: :whistle:

love you Jamie :awe:

dave the scaffolder
8th-February-2007, 03:58 PM
I want to make my American spins more American.
Any advice?
ON the way round shoot some friendly forces then put on about 5 stone in weight

Dreadful Scathe
8th-February-2007, 06:28 PM
I don't care if the rest of my dancing looks camp it's just important that said spin of men looks as manly as possible. !

but ALL your dancing is camper than John Inman in a tent....if you fix the man spin it'll just look odd ;)

SeriouslyAddicted
8th-February-2007, 09:37 PM
Well I would recommend avoiding the whole jazz hands thing as you are signalling the move. Did make me laugh though TT :flower:

TurboTomato
8th-February-2007, 10:22 PM
Jazz hands are great :D

Lee Bartholomew
9th-February-2007, 12:16 AM
Jazz hands are great :D

The great untaught move that is Jazz Hands. Second only to the Jackson Crouch Grab.

Double Trouble
9th-February-2007, 12:20 AM
the Jackson Crouch Grab.

does he have to bend down to do them these days then?:whistle:

Lee Bartholomew
9th-February-2007, 12:22 AM
does he have to bend down to do them these days then?:whistle:


Soooooo many Jackson jokes soooooo little clean enough not to get me a perm ban from the forum lol.

killingtime
9th-February-2007, 11:42 AM
The great untaught move that is Jazz Hands. Second only to the Jackson Crouch Grab.

Would your arm not get caught half way through the spin if you did that though?

Lee Bartholomew
9th-February-2007, 12:12 PM
Would your arm not get caught half way through the spin if you did that though?


The secret is to dance with one hand doing the Jazz hands, the other hand firmly on your crotch. Try it next time you dance. :whistle:

Lee Bartholomew
9th-February-2007, 01:07 PM
You could always try ripping out your chest hair as you spin.

http://www.jokeroo.com/funnyvideos/snickers_accidental_kiss.html

killingtime
28th-February-2008, 05:03 PM
I was hoping that people would pick up on the slightly humorous nature of the thread when I talked about spinning with a pint in hand.

Ooh, actually I tried that at new year (sorry, finding this thread made me re-read it). I was drinking Orange Juice and Lemonade though so I borrowed Wuzzle's pint of Guinness. I thought I was doing so well but then when I'd finished it someone mentioned that my little finger, on the hand holding the pint, was sticking out. Damn :rolleyes:.

EDIT: My gosh; this is a year later. If anything my dancing has become more camp. Ah well.

Gav
28th-February-2008, 05:49 PM
EDIT: My gosh; this is a year later. If anything my dancing has become more camp. Ah well.

I'm not sure about spinning, but I was told recently that my "dance mincing" was coming on nicely! :eek:

~*~Saligal~*~
29th-February-2008, 01:51 AM
Try not limping the wrist - AT ALL.
And try not to show how vulnerable you feel before, during, and after executing the spin :rofl:
I agree with another forumite... that maybe you could just stand there trying to look too cool to "man spin" aka killing time :wink: (by name and by trade)

Lee Bartholomew
29th-February-2008, 08:53 AM
Just find a move that is better than the man spin. Theres plenty out there.

If you must man spin then dont signal.

Gav
29th-February-2008, 10:31 AM
Just find a move that is better than the man spin. Theres plenty out there.

There's none cooler than the double man-spin Gav falls over move. :D


I don't do that one any more. :blush:

drathzel
29th-February-2008, 11:31 AM
:rofl::rofl:

you guys have made me wet myself laughing this morning. Thanks for cheering me up

Lee Bartholomew
29th-February-2008, 12:13 PM
There's none cooler than the double man-spin Gav falls over move. :D


I don't do that one any more. :blush:

The travelling man spin is a good,un. Falling over at the end and taking your partner with you is a bonus. After all, you must be manly if you have women throwing themselves on you. :D

Gav
29th-February-2008, 12:16 PM
The travelling man spin is a good,un. Falling over at the end and taking your partner with you is a bonus. After all, you must be manly if you have women throwing themselves on you. :D

You know when people fall over backwards on roller skates and they kick furiously trying to regain their balance?
Imagine that (without the skates) on a nice dusty dancefloor, arms flailing and everyone else stops to watch the inevitable collapse like a sack of spuds. Like Charlie Chaplin and a bag of marbles! :rofl:

Lee Bartholomew
29th-February-2008, 12:40 PM
Yeah, the more attention you can bring to your manly man spins the better. This might include :-


Shouting "Hey watch this everyone" before you do it.
Strutting on to the dance floor John Travolta style then making the man spin your first move.
Dropping a smoke bomb as you execute your 12 spins.
Running on to the floor during a caberet and stealing the follow to do one.
Mooning as you do the spin.
Getting the follower to scream.
Screaming yourself.
Getting everyone else to scream.

killingtime
29th-February-2008, 12:41 PM
Just find a move that is better than the man spin. Theres plenty out there.

Are you kidding? The man spin is frickin' awesome; there is absolutely no better move to get from left to right hand. Period. Except maybe an Apache Whip, and maybe a couple of others.


And try not to show how vulnerable you feel before, during, and after executing the spin :rofl:

Ah, are you saying that talking about my feelings while doing the spin is where I'm going wrong?


I agree with another forumite... that maybe you could just stand there trying to look too cool to "man spin" aka killing time :wink: (by name and by trade)

Just stand there and drink a pint instead?

Steven666
29th-February-2008, 12:51 PM
There's none cooler than the double man-spin Gav falls over move. :D


I don't do that one any more. :blush:

I used to do that. Not done it for a good while though! :blush:

jive-vee
29th-February-2008, 01:47 PM
:whistle: You could try to finish off the move with a manly attitude-filled grunt of "huh" (as in "It's Like That and That's the Way it is, HUH!"):rolleyes::wink:

piperdave
15th-June-2008, 11:01 PM
I've dispensed with the whole camp-discus-thrower routine and made my move altogether more Scottish hence more manly. When preparing for the spin, bring the arm back and raise it over your head like in a Highland fling! Or, if you are looking for a move with more continental joie de vivre, imagine you are playing castanettes above your head! :clap:

If your limp wrist is above and out of your partner's line of vision then it doesn't exist

killingtime
16th-June-2008, 02:21 AM
If your limp wrist is above and out of your partner's line of vision then it doesn't exist

What about to any onlookers?