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Juju
19th-September-2006, 11:17 AM
Bit of a stupid question really, but there's a move when the man holds up his hand, sort of like a traffic policeman, to indicate that the woman gets to take however long she wants to do her spin - what's it called please? And is it just used for spins, or can the woman do other stuff too? (Not that I'd dare.)

I only discovered it at Southport and, together with the person who explained it to me, I came to the conclusion that it's probably been tried on me before, only Dumb Ass here never twigged. Never doing lessons just keeps coming back to haunt me....

TheTramp
19th-September-2006, 11:24 AM
Sounds hideous! Another great-looking signal to use on the dance floor! Not!

If it's a spin, what's to stop you taking as long as you like over it, without the guy having to hold up his hand? Please feel free to vary the speed of your spins all the time. It's just more interest in the dance...

If it's a turn/return, and the lady decides to turn slowly (prefereably with a wiggle!), then I'll just wait for her to finish (and admire) - though, I'm aware that some guys won't!

And also, please feel free to do other stuff too. Especially if it involves wiggling! :whistle:

David Bailey
19th-September-2006, 11:26 AM
Bit of a stupid question really, but there's a move when the man holds up his hand, sort of like a traffic policeman, to indicate that the woman gets to take however long she wants to do her spin - what's it called please? And is it just used for spins, or can the woman do other stuff too? (Not that I'd dare.)
That's a new one... :rolleyes:


I only discovered it at Southport and, together with the person who explained it to me, I came to the conclusion that it's probably been tried on me before, only Dumb Ass here never twigged. Never doing lessons just keeps coming back to haunt me....
Why are you dumb? If it's not clear, how could you be expected to understand it?

It sounds like the worst kind of signal, one that relies on you knowing the "secret code" before you can follow a move.

If I want a woman to take her time on a spin (well, a slow turn, actually), I just provide the space and time for her to do so. I certainly don't hold up my hand and expect my partner to know the Secret Handshake Signal or whatever.

Again, you're not dumb, signals are dumb.

Juju
19th-September-2006, 11:39 AM
Maybe I didn't explain it very well.... :blush: He had his hand in the same position as he would for a normal spin, but in a flat hand sorta shape. He didn't just stand there and suddenly signal to me. I'm making him sound awful, poor chap!

Juju
19th-September-2006, 11:42 AM
Please feel free to vary the speed of your spins all the time. It's just more interest in the dance... And also, please feel free to do other stuff too. Especially if it involves wiggling! :whistle:

Hard to do when you haven't a great deal of confidence, but I'll try to be a little more so! Nothing ventured, etc.

alex
19th-September-2006, 11:44 AM
but there's a move when the man holds up his hand, sort of like a traffic policeman, to indicate that the woman gets to take however long she wants to do her spinwhich hand? the one doing the leading, or the spare hand?

if it is the leading hand, then it sounds like what some men do to let the lady play.

if it is the spare hand, and his other hand is also raised to lead the turn, then he might simply be surrendering to your charms.

David Bailey
19th-September-2006, 11:50 AM
Maybe I didn't explain it very well.... :blush: He had his hand in the same position as he would for a normal spin, but in a flat hand sorta shape.
Assuming you mean "normal turn" :), then the only "signal" to go slow is just allowing more space and time for the lady to do her thing if she so chooses. if she doesn't, then she doesn't.

I still don't think there's a "go slow" signal.


I'm making him sound awful, poor chap!
He was probably just sleep-deprived. :whistle:

Juju
19th-September-2006, 11:50 AM
which hand? the one doing the leading, or the spare hand?

if it is the leading hand, then it sounds like what some men do to let the lady play.

if it is the spare hand, and his other hand is also raised to lead the turn, then he might simply be surrendering to your charms.

Um, I think it was his left. Leading then.

Juju
19th-September-2006, 11:51 AM
You know, it's very sweet how you've all rushed to help me out so quickly. I'm impressed. Thank you!

TheTramp
19th-September-2006, 11:52 AM
You know, it's very sweet how you've all rushed to help me out so quickly. I'm impressed. Thank you!

We like to think that we're useful. Occasionally... :flower:

TiggsTours
19th-September-2006, 11:59 AM
Sounds hideous! Another great-looking signal to use on the dance floor! Not!

If it's a spin, what's to stop you taking as long as you like over it, without the guy having to hold up his hand? Please feel free to vary the speed of your spins all the time. It's just more interest in the dance...

:yeah:

Its your spin, and your opportunity to do your bit!

Signals for the man to "allow" you to do your bit, ugh! Get out there and burn your bra!

Andreas
19th-September-2006, 12:21 PM
Sounds hideous! Another great-looking signal to use on the dance floor! Not!

If it's a spin, what's to stop you taking as long as you like over it, without the guy having to hold up his hand? Please feel free to vary the speed of your spins all the time. It's just more interest in the dance...

If it's a turn/return, and the lady decides to turn slowly (prefereably with a wiggle!), then I'll just wait for her to finish (and admire) - though, I'm aware that some guys won't!

And also, please feel free to do other stuff too. Especially if it involves wiggling! :whistle:
:yeah:


Get out there and burn your bra!
We'll come and supervise to make sure you take it off correctly first.

David Bailey
19th-September-2006, 12:28 PM
We'll come and supervise to make sure you take it off correctly first.
And remember, it's important to give the lady time and space to take it off slowly.

Yanking is a no-no.

spindr
19th-September-2006, 12:32 PM
Its your spin, and your opportunity to do your bit!
Sorry, no!

The only way you're going to be able do this is to disconnect from the lead -- in which case you're not following :)

SpinDr.

MartinHarper
19th-September-2006, 12:57 PM
A flat left hand in a move like the Push Spin is a fairly standard MJ indication that the leader is probably about to lead a free spin, where the woman spins without touching the man (as opposed to an assisted spin, where the woman turns under the man's hand). I'm not aware of any connotations that such a free spin is intended to take any longer than normal, as opposed to one not led off a flat hand.

In general, the man not offering his hand in a free spin is an indication that the woman could take extra time after the spin (or do an extra spin), while a reduced impetus in a free spin is an indication that the follower could do the spin slower.

Gav
19th-September-2006, 01:03 PM
As a more general point, I would think that there's no such thing as an idiot question at all.

The idiot is the person that doesn't ask the question and as a result, does the wrong thing! So well done you for asking :respect:

x.

Juju
19th-September-2006, 05:57 PM
The reason I keep being self-deprecating is that I really know very little indeed! I just get on the dancefloor and hope for the best! Having said that, I learn lots of stuff from individuals that I dance with and it usually sinks in because it's tailored to me.


Yanking is a no-no.

God forbid she should start bouncing, eh chaps? :wink:

Andreas
19th-September-2006, 06:17 PM
God forbid she should start bouncing, eh chaps? :wink:
There is obviously a very fine line between jiggling and bouncing but don't you worry. We'll be the judge of that. :flower:

David Bailey
19th-September-2006, 08:44 PM
There is obviously a very fine line between jiggling and bouncing but don't you worry. We'll be the judge of that. :flower:
Well, I dunno if we can trust your judgement, I reckon the only way to be sure is to get objective recorded evidence, which I shall make freely available - for review purposes only - for a small fee barely covering expenses.

Anyway...

The reason I keep being self-deprecating is that I really know very little indeed! I just get on the dancefloor and hope for the best! Having said that, I learn lots of stuff from individuals that I dance with and it usually sinks in because it's tailored to me.
As a general principle, I think that applies to almost everyone on this forum, welcome to the club :)

Gav
19th-September-2006, 11:28 PM
The reason I keep being self-deprecating is that I really know very little indeed! I just get on the dancefloor and hope for the best! Having said that, I learn lots of stuff from individuals that I dance with and it usually sinks in because it's tailored to me.


I used to be a self-deprecating stand up comedian, but I gave up 'cos I was no good at it! :na:

Gadget
20th-September-2006, 12:46 AM
It may be that the flat hand was not a signal, but just the way that they have lerned how to turn a follower: you can simply provide a flat palm and let the hands slide over each other. The lead does not have as much control as the 'spindle' method of turning, but it does work.
Personally, I have been known to use it for followers who try to hold on rather than simply maintaining contact. Or simply because the previous move would make it uncomfortable to go into the spindle properly. :shrug:

Dreadful Scathe
21st-September-2006, 12:29 PM
I used to be a self-deprecating stand up comedian, but I gave up 'cos I was no good at it! :na:
That would have been a good line if only it had been funny :)

About this signal thing - if the leader holds up a flat hand with the leading hand you would probably match it and wait for him to do something, which may well be a push but could equally be some sort of weird one handed mime acting type push against the invisible glass type move...:)

Of course if you dont match the flat hand he has to do something else, thats freestyle for you. Only 40% of my partners ever understand any more than 65% of what Im trying to do, but then again i only understand what Im trying to do 33% of the time*.


*these stats are 49.5% accurate

Yogi_Bear
14th-October-2006, 11:29 PM
Bit of a stupid question really, but there's a move when the man holds up his hand, sort of like a traffic policeman, to indicate that the woman gets to take however long she wants to do her spin - what's it called please? And is it just used for spins, or can the woman do other stuff too? (Not that I'd dare.)

I only discovered it at Southport and, together with the person who explained it to me, I came to the conclusion that it's probably been tried on me before, only Dumb Ass here never twigged. Never doing lessons just keeps coming back to haunt me....

Hand signals should be avoided if at all possible as they convey absolutely nothing to the uninitiated. They giver the follower no information whatsoever, unlike say a body lead. If a move is worth dancing socially it should be leadable.

And once someone is spinning they should take as long as they like (in MJ) as they should not feel obliged to be in a particular place in relation to the leader by a particular count in the music. They may well wish to adjust and time their spin according to the miusic. While spinning, they are not following a lead.

Juju
15th-October-2006, 10:33 AM
And once someone is spinning they should take as long as they like (in MJ) as they should not feel obliged to be in a particular place in relation to the leader by a particular count in the music. They may well wish to adjust and time their spin according to the miusic. While spinning, they are not following a lead.

I find that if someone expects me to take as much time as I like, then they're effectively giving me just enough rope with which to hang myself. I don't have the confidence to ad lib in MJ and I expect a leader to lead - for both our sakes.

David Bailey
15th-October-2006, 04:25 PM
I find that if someone expects me to take as much time as I like, then they're effectively giving me just enough rope with which to hang myself. I don't have the confidence to ad lib in MJ and I expect a leader to lead - for both our sakes.
Well, an invitation-to-play is only an invitation - it can be refused. If so, the leader should have a plan B ready to go.

Genie
15th-October-2006, 05:16 PM
I have experienced this flat hand spin on occasion, but only when he is leading me in one direction, and wishes me to stop and spin the other way (as in a yoyo). He brings his hand up to a flat palm to stop me, but instead of a push-spin, he just slowly turns me with the palm of his hand.

That is the only time I can remember experiencing this signal. As an adaptation of the "stop" sign.

peppercorn
17th-October-2006, 07:52 PM
The best thing I ever heard was that a guy gives a lead and the lady decides if she should follow. If the guy doesn't give a clear signal how can you be expected to follow. If I don't know what the guy expects I generally just give a turn or a wiggle. lady moves are always good....and the look on the guys face when he realizes he's not leading anymore is always priceless. he he:grin: