feet on spins

[J-J]

See when you spin anticlock wise is it always on left foot

and clockwise always on right foot???

thanks

_______________________

J-J the 2 week old ceroc baby - be gentle with me lol XXX

[KatieR]

See when you spin anticlock wise is it always on left foot

and clockwise always on right foot???

thanks

_______________________

J-J the 2 week old ceroc baby - be gentle with me lol XXX

You dont have to, you can spin on the opposite foot to the direction you are going, just takes good balance and technique so you dont fall over your feet.

[J-J]

thanks

[KatieR]

thanks

One of the main things you will hear people say about spinning is practice. If you practice spinning by yourself at home for 10 minutes every day, its amazing how great your spins become. Really feel where your balance is, try and correct it, find out how your body reacts to the feel of the spin.

You will be doing triples in no time.

[LMC]

Katie's right that practice is the key. As you've only been dancing a couple of weeks, then I'd recommend turning clockwise on R foot, anti-clockwise on left and get those sorted before trying it the other way round. Same goes for multiple spins: don't even think about it until your single spins are mostly perfect (i.e. on the spot and you keep your balance).

Don't get too hung up on it - if a guy knocks you off balance (e.g. by setting you off spinning 'too high') then there's not a lot you can do about it. However, if you know you can spin well under your own steam (as Katie suggests) then the effect of someone leading a spin less than "well" will be reduced.

In terms of technique - eyes front: don't look at your feet (they're fairly firmly attached to you, they ain't going anywhere). And spotting is useful - thhere's a good description of spotting on post #9 in this thread.

Did anyone say that the main thing is practice?

[Gadget]

I practice spinning both ways on both feet, but the conventional way of teaching seems to be that you should only spin clockwise on your right and anti-clockwise on your left. (Step back on the other foot, and use the 'push' of a step to start your momentum into the turn)

{I seldom go with convention }

[KatieR]

I practice spinning both ways on both feet, but the conventional way of teaching seems to be that you should only spin clockwise on your right and anti-clockwise on your left. (Step back on the other foot, and use the 'push' of a step to start your momentum into the turn)

{I seldom go with convention }

I agree, now when I practice I usually practice all different ways. I even mess around with different balances as well, just messing about and seeing what my body does and how it balances itself. Lots of testing myself and just playing.

[Jive Brummie]

(Step back on the other foot, and use the 'push' of a step to start your momentum into the turn)

I know it's unlike me to disagree with Gadget but, from both dancing and teaching experience, using the 'push' of a step to start momentum into the turn/spin will normally result into the 'step-ee or spin-ee' pushing themselves off balance. In short ending up A-over-T..

Practise is the key however, and yes spinning technique is indeed and very individual thing, but try and use your arms a bit more instead of launching yourself in with a big step....think ballet...think ice skater etc etc. Good luck.

[J-J]

thanks

was trying to practice in front room this am but its got carpet and ended up falling about lol

shall need to try in my teenyweeny kitchen!

[LMC]

Lots of different spinning stuff

For a beginner, which is what J-J is, I would strongly recommend getting spinning the "standard" way (clockwise on R, a/c on L) sussed before playing around with fancy stuff.

EDIT due to cross-post: J-J - I practise in my kitchen while I'm waiting for the kettle to boil

[MartinHarper]

was trying to practice in front room this am but its got carpet and ended up falling about lol

If you have any shoes with "hard leather" soles (dress shoes/character shoes) they tend to spin best on carpet.

[spindr]

There's always heel spins