HOW Execute Double Turns and Spins
Tips for Executing "Posture Perfect" Double Turns and Spins
By Edie
In The Beginning When I started dancing, I used to watch in absolute amazement all the fabulous spinners on the dance floor. They blew my mind. I wanted to spin like that so bad! Over time, I realized that guys weren?t spinning me that much. In fact, they rarely put me into any turns at all! The only way I would get a guy to spin me was to ASK HIM. After he attempted to spin me a couple of times, he would give up and say, Uh.. well, I can't spin you Edie, BECAUSE well YOU CAN'T SPIN. If I couldn't spin, how could I ever get any practice? It was a catch-22. They wouldn't spin me BECAUSE I COULDN'T SPIN! I never got to practice my spins? because no one would spin me... because I couldn?t spin! At that moment, the only thing spinning was my head. ?How will I EVER get good at this???? I asked myself in absolute frustration. Weeks went by. The better spinners were getting better (because the guys would give them plenty of practice, all night long) and the horrible spinners like me, were actually GETTING WORSE! I would see all these great spinners spinning out there, but I would never get a chance to spin!! ?WHY DOES THIS SEEM SO UNFAIR?? I thought to myself. There I was. A perfectly mature, grown woman of 31, with a fabulous career, a beautiful home, a great dog, a wardrobe to die for, and there I was, STRESSING over SPINNING. The next day at work, I would sit staring at my computer, completely frustrated from the night before. My spinning dilemma bothered me so much, that the ENTIRE WORLD could be going to war; all hell could be breaking lose, famine, explosions, floods, and mass rioting could be right outside my door, and I could have cared less. That did it. A light bulb suddenly went off in my head. I realized I had to get good at spinning on my own FIRST, before I could get any practice at the nightclubs. Back then there were no spins videos on the market. I spent months going from instructor to instructor, analyzing, practicing, and working it out ? on my own. If you think it's tough executing a single spin, how on earth do you accomplish more than one? Well, if you don't hold a black belt in ballet or jazz, spinning can be a challenge. I learned how to spin from many different dance instructors. Some good, some bad. After a few years, I finally compiled it all, and have summarized here what works. I visually demonstrate how to spin in simplified laymen?s terms in my new Spins Video. In this article, I'll summarize what it takes mentally, physically, visually, and financially, to master your spins. The Gray Matter Between Your Ears First, you must remember that you CAN do this. Believe it or not, multiple spins happen in your HEAD first. I'm not kidding. It takes guts, fortitude, determination and a belief in your abilities as a street dancer to get this. If you think it will be hard, IT WILL BE HARD. In fact, it will be next to impossible. You've got to convince your mind that it is a possibility, and that you can be, and WILL BE very, very good at it. OK. After your mind is convinced, this is how your body does it. Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to learn something PROFOUND. It is not your feet that spins you, ...but your SHOULDERS. What a concept. Who would have thought? When executing a spin, direct your shoulders first and keep them square. Maintain good posture. Never hunch over or stick your butt out with your back arched. Your body and feet will follow your shoulders, whichever direction they eventually go. Point your feet out in a 60 degree angle to the sides, not straight ahead. This will help you have good balance not only for multiple spins, but during the entire dance. I detail visually how this is done in my Spins Video. Your Feet While dancing, think of yourself as a long slim vase with a solid base, the base being your feet pointed about 60 degrees outward enough for about three quarters between your big toes. If your feet are spread outward too far (to 45 degrees), the look it creates shortens the leg line ? which is what we do not want. The longer the leg line, the better. The base, or your outward pointed feet, are there for balance. During a turn or spin, you can quickly stop yourself without tipping over if your feet are pointed outward. You have more control over your body, and frankly, if you dance with your feet pointed out and knees close together, you'll look better too. One of my instructors, Josie Neglia, used to tell me to "rub those fishnet stockings together at the thighs ... pretend you're trying to keep a quarter squeezed between your thighs... while keeping your feet pointed out." This is tough, WAY TOUGH, I know, but it looks great if done right. (by the way, for us Bow-Legged people, this does WONDERS for our little challenge). It took me weeks to get it right, and even now, I still have problems, but am working at it... still! Posture You must have good solid posture to spin well. Good posture means that your back should not be arched, but simply straight (see diagram below). Your ears should be directly over your shoulders, and chin level to the floor. A good posture is what you would look like if standing with your back, and head against a wall. Check this out: Correct Posture Diagram Correct posture is very important not only during normal dancing, (and life itself), but for executing multiple spins. For example, it's easy to spin a top, because it has a straight center. It's virtually impossible to spin a bent tree branch. Finding your center is first accomplished with good posture, and being able to keep your balance on either foot without tipping over. Finding your center allows you to spin beautifully, with absolute control. It will be difficult at first, but with practice, you'll eventually get it. You should practice good posture not only when you dance, but while you're shopping, working, talking with friends, standing in line, and WHILE YOU'RE READING THIS ARTICLE.... That's right. straighten up in that chair.... (AHA!!! I caught you hunching over that keyboard...!!) You, at your Computer right now... Check YOU out!!! My posture was so bad that at one point, one of my instructors thought I was a lost cause, and gave up all hope. Reason? I spent the last 12 years of my life bent over in front of a computer. My posture was so bad, it appeared permanently DENTED. My family has a history of hunchbacks. They never really stressed good posture while I was growing up. By the time I started dancing, I could not for the life of me straighten my back out! I realized I had a bad problem after I saw myself dancing in a video. I was mortified with how I looked. That did it. When I told my family about it, my dad decided to buy a posture brace for me. The Posture Perfect Back Brace It's the coolest thing. It fits underneath your clothing, and stretches across your back. It clasps at the back with very tight straps for both your arms. The straps loop around your shoulders and under you arm pits, forcing your shoulder blades to almost touch. If you hunch over, you eventually lose circulation in your arms and they end up turning blue. The next day, I went to work with it on underneath my clothes, and my colleagues started up with the following comments... * "Edie... uh... have you lost weight?" * "Nice hair! Did you color it?" * "You look great today! What did you do?" * "LLLLLLUUUUUVVVVV the new outfit! DEFINITELY your color dear... " (she hadn't realized that I had worn that outfit countless times already in the past) * "You look like you were an athlete at one point in time... do you still work out?" * "You were a dancer as a child... I can tell..." * "Are you taking vitamins?" The comments were awesome, but believe me, after wearing that thing for 4-5 hours straight, I just wanted to RIP IT OFF!!!! I was so badly dented, I forced myself to wear it for several weeks as a reminder to hold myself straight - even while sitting down. Having that thing on underneath my clothing while working on the computer REALLY MADE ME AWARE of just HOW BADLY I needed it. I'll still wear it on occasion, but it doesn't hurt quite as bad because my posture has markedly improved. I'm still not 100%, but am a heck of a lot better than before. We now have these braces available in our new Salsa Store located at www.dancefreak.com/store. They are the exact types that I use to this day - less cumbersome, and less obvious than other brands. Self Esteem Some people correlate posture with self esteem. Some women feel that if they stand up straight, their breasts will protrude too far out, and they will feel awkward. Some heavier women I know are ashamed of how large their breasts are, so they purposely hunch over to hide their size. They don?t want to stand straight. Training and practice improved my self esteem one hundred fold. I find it doesn't bother me to stand up straight now. I used to think that if I stood up straight, I would be considered as holier than thou... but I found that this truly is not the case at all. When seeing myself on film now, I actually look normal with good posture. With poor posture, I look frumpy and insecure. Spotting To spot during a spin or multiple spins, keep your head in one place, then, when your shoulders are almost half way around, whip your head around super fast in a 360 degree turn to face the same direction again. The next spin should be the same... first with the shoulders, then pivot on the ball of your foot (if spinning left, then pivot on your left foot, if spinning right, pivot on your right foot), then whip your head around again for a good spot. Again, your posture must be straight the entire time. When learning, your arms should be in frame. Firm, slightly bent, and in a joggers position directly in front of your rib cage, about six inches away from your body. Types of Spins There are multitudes of spins to choose from, and each functions to serve a specific purpose, in a specific way. For example, there is a spot turn, a pencil turn, pivot turns, chen�t turns? the list goes on. Every turn has a different foot preparation, but the basics of spotting, and using your shoulders for speed are universal. You've got to truly believe first in your head, then in your heart, that you're going to make it to the last spin, and just impress the heck out of him to the very end. Speed The WOMAN controls the speed of her multiple spins. If it feels like he is spinning you too fast, just slow it down a bit. This may feel awkward, because his hand is pushing you to move faster, but just let it be. He'll get the point. You spin at the pace you feel most comfortable with. If you spin too fast, you'll look rushed, and will lose balance. Plus, it will be twice as hard for him to stop you. If you start getting dizzy, then stop. YOU should be the one in control the entire time. If he accidentally lets go of you, it shouldn't matter one bit. Finding your center and balance should be enough to allow you to spin beautifully on your own, without his help. YOU are in Control I've had guys accidentally let go of me during a multiple spin because of sweaty palms or plain stupidity. But because I applied all my techniques, I am able to continue spinning without his help at all, and eventually stop perfectly without falling. This took some time, but I soon realized that I cannot always depend on the guy to be there for me (this goes for dancing and spinning as well). Your weight and spin momentum should not depend on him at all. You should be able to spin on your own, and just use his hand as a guide. Do not put pressure on him. It's your spin, it's your balance, it's under your control. He should never feel how much you weigh, or how much you're hanging on to him. Preparation Gentlemen, when preparing the girl for a multiple spin, it is preferable to give her a single turn one direction, then start spinning her multiple times in the other direction... first slowly, then moving up in momentum, as she can handle it. Do not put her into a spin until she is prepared. There is nothing worse than being put into a multiple spin prematurely, without letting her prepare with her feet first. Which Direction Feels Better? In the beginning, most of us can spin one direction better than the other direction. Be sure to practice both directions, or ?sides? equally. Believe it or not, I found on accident that the ?good? direction (right or left) actually teaches the ?bad? direction how it?s done! If you work harder and more often on your ?bad? side, your ?bad side? will start teach the ?good? side how to do it wrong! The mind and body are always looking for a point of equilibrium. Developing your Spinning technique is much like developing a muscle. If the brain sees the bad side is being worked more, it doesn?t realize it is learning a bad habit. If the side that is being worked is the worse side, with horrible technique, the brain sends "horrible technique" habits to the other side to even things out! Each side is looking to balance the other side. Work each side (direction) equally, ESPECIALLY if one direction is better than the other. You will find that after a few weeks, your bad side is learning good habits from your good side. Both will get better with EQUAL practice. After a few months, each side?s balance and control will eventually even out, and be on par with each other. Stay on Time It is common courtesy, and much more pleasant (on her) to spin her TO THE RHYTHM of the music. The beat would normally be on the "1", "3", "5", and "7" beats of the 8-count phrase if dancing on the "1", and on the "2", "4", "6", and "8" if dancing on the "2". She should spot toward her partner?s face during those counts. Don't try to spin her as fast as you/she can. It's OK in some cases, but normally, spinning to the rhythm of the music is much more comfortable, visibly appealing, and beautiful. How to Stop a Spin My Spins video details visually how to prep for a spin, acquire momentum, gain thrust, apply continuity, and more importantly, how to stop yourself, and/or your partner (if you?re the lead). My partner and I demonstrate how to start spinning and stop spinning your dance partner. It's one thing to get her going, but how on earth do you get her to STOP without yanking her arm off? AAAAAaaahhhhhh!!!!! I teach a few tricks of the trade that have proven to be very effective to the unknowing, or inexperienced dancer. When stopping her, gently squeeze her hand and gently bring her arm down when she faces you, when she is in front of you. She can stop while you support her in your arms (for example, spinning her and ending in a dip). Don't crowd her. Give her her space. Never yank or pull her arm to stop. You could damage her shoulder. Just let her arm down gently. After the spin, it is common courtesy to momentarily pause for a brief second for her to pull her head together (get undizzy), then start again into the rhythm of the music. If you?re unsure of how to stop her multiple spins, DON?T SPIN HER. You won?t be able to stop her without hurting her, yourself, or others around you! How fast is a Ferrari? Only as fast as the breaks are functional! If there were no breaks on the Ferrari you?re driving, would you drive it 90 miles per hour? Learn how to operate the breaks ? in other words, learn WELL how to stop her spins without hurting her. Al and I break this down in detail in our Spins video, and other videos throughout the series. Dizzy Yet? When practicing multiple spins, you may find yourself getting dizzy. Spotting usually helps, but if not, I typically have my partner spin me at a slower speed in the opposite direction a couple of times to "unwind" my head... believe it or not, it really works. You may want to keep your mouth slightly open during multiple spins - in other words, don't hold your breath! Having excellent oxygen flow throughout your body also prevents dizziness. During practice, take many breaks. You don't want to make yourself sick over this! If you're taking a spins class, and the instructor makes you spin so many times that his/her objective is to get you nauseated, go find another instructor! A good instructor will emphasize TECHNIQUE - not ENDURANCE. Styling Arm, hand, and leg styling during a spin are a matter of personal taste. After you master the basics, you can add all types of styling movements. For example, you can roll your arms up in the middle of three spins almost in a motion like you're taking off your shirt. It looks beautiful if done correctly. You can also spin by gently pushing your arms straight up, and clasping your right wrist with your left hand. That looks nice too. It also prevents the momentum from breaking apart your arms. I suggest you study how ballroom dancers use their arms, hands, and fingers to create beautiful flare movements during a spin. Taylor them to suit your social dancing style. Lifting one leg during a spin is also becoming quite popular. Experiment! Have fun with this! PRACTICE!!! The only way you're going to get good at spinning is with lots and lots of PRACTICE. Practice, practice, practice... in the restrooms of the world! Why? They are little mini dance studios!!! Think about it! There's usually a great mirror, and a smooth floor! The restroom is a perfect opportunity to practice your spins every time you?re in there. Whether you're in your work shoes, house shoes, boots, pumps, or heels, PRACTICE a spin or two to the left, and a spin or two to the right. This is exactly how I used to practice. (Warning, DO NOT practice spins with bare feet or rubbery, sticky-soled shoes. You will ruin your knees if your body goes around, and you?re feet are still stuck where you started on the floor! Baby Powder on sticky floors is excellent for practice ? but wipe it up after you leave! If you don?t, you?ll hear blood-curdling SCREAMS and earth-shaking THUMPS from the restroom you just left!) I spent quite a bit of time in those restrooms! Think about it. If I went to the restroom five times a day, and spun once to the right, then once to the left, that would be ten practice spins a day! In a month, I will have done over 300 spins! Like anything in life, you get good at what you focus your mind on. Focus, practice solid technique, invest in excellent videos and instructors, and you will be on your way!!! You'll eventually get it, and surprise yourself! It won't take long at all.
Good luck!
Y que viva la salsa !!!