A question on spinning

[Andy McGregor]

I used to think this, and almost stopped doing multiple spins altogether. But then one or two times I noticed that after spinning the girl was smiling, and she wasn't before. That's when I realized dancing with someone who is doing cool things can make it more fun for you, too, as long as you are not intimidating them.

Part of the social aspect of the dance is that I am my partner's spectator and she is mine - if my partner is fun to watch it makes the dance more fun for me, adds variety, gives me ideas.

You can spin for yourself and ignore your partner or you can spin for your partner. Also, if my partner is spinning like crazy, there is a small irrational part of me that thinks I had something to do with it, and I feel proud. If it works the other way too then what's there to lose?

So if you think you can entertain your partner with a couple of spins, I would say do it. Be a spinster.

I think Amir is totally correct. As usual. But, I think he is correct for Amir - a guy who can spin on the spot or choose to travel in his spin - and probably use his arms an legs to tell you time while he's spinning. Amir is a professional entertainer and that kind of thing is expected of him. The other thing is that Amir is the Queen of Musicality. He will re-connect with his partner in a stylish and classy way in exactly the right place in the music. Most of the people I see spinning and spinning at weekenders are taking no notice of the music, are not in a great deal of control of their travelling and seem to have very little regard for their parter's entertainment - or, on many occasions, safety

The other thing that I see these spinny spinners doing is doing it all the time. It was entertaining the first time you did it in this track - but I've seen the show now and I did enjoy it, you know I smiled and laughed, but there's no need for you to do it another 6 times! Amir has a repertoire of other entertaining things to do as well as spinning.

As Amir says, he used to think the same as I do - I take a great deal of comfort from that That way of thinking was before he became the Amir we all know and love today. As I'm often quoting to my students, it's all a journey. Don't be in too much of a hurry to get to your destination and enjoy the scenery on the way - and, when you get to your destination you will probably find there's other interesting places you'd like to go. If your aspiration is to be like Amir you could follow in his footsteps and take his journey: that means you will need to go through the phase of thinking like I do about breaking from your partner for a long time during the dance.

Having great dancers like Amir to inspire us is fabulous. However, there is a danger in slavishly copying somebody who is so many levels better than you are: you miss out on the rest of the learning curve. Consider children who see their dad driving - put them behind the wheel and they will turn the steering wheel because that's what they saw dad doing - they don't know what it's all about, they just copy - and then they do what dad did and release the handbrake...

My advice, is to learn from Amir if you want to do what he does. He's a professional dance educator and will take you through a structured learning programme to improve your dancing. And that structure takes into account your current level of dance ability. I'm guessing, but I think it's unlikely that the first lesson will include multiple spins that last more than two beats of music or breaking from your partner from more than 8 of those beats.

There are some dancers, like Jamie, who have got their spinning in perspective. It's very entertaining, he's very good at it, doesn't travel uncontrollably and he doesn't overdo it. There are other dancers who are not as good as Jamie and spin too much and without his skill. Those dancers are the ones who'd benefit from some lessons with Amir*.


*help, I've become Amir's pimp!

[Lee Bartholomew]

{Stuff}

[Andy McGregor]

Just entertaining my partner, glad you liked it

I couldn't keep spinning the whole time you were laughing so I did a bit of ball balancing and juggling

[Lee Bartholomew]

Just entertaining my partner, glad you liked it

I couldn't keep spinning the whole time you were laughing so I did a bit of ball balancing and juggling

Why were you one of the Some people that can't spin on the spot you were talking about?


Oh Andy, I wish I was you.

[Littleone]

Normally in ballet if I want to "spin" clockwise I would do that on my left foot, but it appears in MJ to spin clockwise I would have to use my right foot Is that correct?

Just thought i would add some advice too..if your comfortable with your pirouhettes..you may find it useful to use your arms for a bit of leverage (it helped me out when i started)..but make sure not to knock anyone out!

[MartinHarper]

If it was the fairly technical post about the physics involved in leading and the forces required, then I think it was me.

My own attempt at the maths was here, and came to the same conclusions as yours:
http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/i...e-shove-2.html

I must admit I haven't really got my head around the mathematics of "power-leading" a spin without taking a follow off balance. If you're only using one point of contact, it seems to me that any force you provide is inherently going to take the follow off balance.

I agree, if the follower is stationary - any kind of powered spin from that positions results in the follower travelling. in my experience. However, if the follower is moving (eg catapult) then a spin lead with one point of contact can result in a spin on the spot. That seems to be the normal way that powered spins are set up.