Spinning Follows

[peachexploration]

Question for the follows. What hand placement do you use while spinning as a general rule. Specifically to prevent injury to your partner. Across the chest, on the hip? Where? :?

[squirrel]

Depends on what hand I have free and what exactly the lead is doing! :)

[peachexploration]

Hi Squirrel. Since you are one of star instructors, do you mind elaborating a little more for the newcomers to salsa? :)

[tj]

Generally, I think most Follows that I dance with, will have their free hand/arm above their belly button but below their chest. And a lot of them will use the free hand/arm/elbow to "punch" through their spin, like how Edie "the Salsa Freak" teaches it.

[squirrel]

Well... it'll be kind of hard, since I don't know all the terms that you people use... but I can try...
If I have one free hand I either put it up in the air or on my hip or maybe (if the pattern allows it) do a little hair combing... ofr instance, if my free hand is the right hand and the guy puts me into a CBL with a spin, then I punch back on 4th count (I dance on 1)... or if my left hand is free I put it up in the air on 1 as on the picalante (Rueda - just before the DQN)...
If both my hands are free and the leader uses my hips or my shoulders to lead... then it all depends on what exactly he's leading... for instance, if it's a CBL or an in-and-out, I just "wave" my arms around (put them back in the air, bring them both down in a snap on both sides of my body, then up in the air again and slowly down - saw this in shown in a video of Luis and Joby)... don't know... maybe I am not very clear (my terms...)... the only thing I am very sure about is that I try never to let my arms just "hang loose" around my body, as if I were bored out of my mind... or just keep them hands loose at waist level (and look like a puppy...). I try to make my hands available for the lead, but keep them busy too... and if I can't use them, then I keep them at waist level, but with palms a little tense (facing the floor)...
Hope this is understandable...
R

PS Peach... I am not very sure I understand the "star instructor" remark... :? :?: if it was meant as a compliment, thank you, if it was just ironic... thanks again... :wink: ... but just for the record I don't consider I am a star instructor... I think I am a dancer always learning... :D

[peachexploration]

Star instructor was definitely meant as a compliment, mi amiga! :D

[squirrel]

Thanks :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: but I am not a star instructor! I definitely wanna become one though! :roll: :lol:

And really hope my explanations make sense... :oops: :oops:

[Guarachero]

Question for the follows. What hand placement do you use while spinning as a general rule. Specifically to prevent injury to your partner. Across the chest, on the hip? Where? :?

PeachXploration:

I particularly like to spin the girl with my right arm holding her right arm. Then I use my left to keep her from falling by placing it on her weist. I used to guide her by placing my left on her shoulders and back. The problem was that when she was facing me, I had to remove my hand so as not to invade into her... :oops: you know what.

Now, some girls do not need guidance, they can spin. I like to dance with one girl here that she can spin so fast that she could make me dizzy.

And I see, you folks love spinning. Visit El Turquino or Salón Rosado of Tropicana in Havana some time, so my fellow Cubans can see that we are not the only ones who can spin :applause: .

Guarachero

[Miami Rueda dancer]

I generally spin my partners with a slight push to her back right shoulder blade :)

[Guarachero]

I generally spin my partners with a slight push to her back right shoulder blade :)

Yes. I like to do it that way when she is advanced and can do her spins withouth my guidance.

Guarachero

[Miami Rueda dancer]

woops.. i guess im going too fast then.. :oops:

[vin]

I wouldn't say that Miami Rueda dancer. The first spins I led were free spins like that. Follows generally learn how to spin pretty quickly.

[Miami Rueda dancer]

thank you vin :) what do you suggest I do to spin the girls more comfortably?

[vin]

The hardest thing for me when leading spins has always been the preps. I suggest you start out by leading spins where you don't necessarily need a well-defined prep. You can do this with moves where you stop the follows momentum before spinning her. This is helping me develop my spinning technique step by step.

[frenchsalsera]

Generally, I think most Follows that I dance with, will have their free hand/arm above their belly button but below their chest. And a lot of them will use the free hand/arm/elbow to "punch" through their spin, like how Edie "the Salsa Freak" teaches it.



The technique of spinning is really hard work, if your aim is to be able to spin on your own girl (as Guarachero said). I don’t know wether you are only interested in your arms or even your feet timing and preparation, but let’s focus on the arms.

As tj said, the best technique to become an efficient independent spinner
(meaning that you are the one that control the spin, your balance, your strength…- whether your partner’s with you or not because, at least, his leading of the spin should only help you to keep your static axe)

…the best technique is to put your left arm (if this is the one free) between your chest and your belly, but not too high, it should be more efficient if you keep it a bit lower, more on the belly direction. The arm shouldn’t be touching your body, just keep it a bit in front. This position helps you gain fastness in your spins and makes a perfect aerodynamic shape with your shoulders leading your spins (not your feet !).

The importance of keeping this arm a bit lower than usually recommended is double :

- it helps the spins to become a softness experience as the lower position is more comfortable (you don’t have the feeling to go fighting, arm right in front of you), and this, at least, will helps you gain fluidity in your spins (even more appreciated if you are an on 2 dancer)

- it is also an aesthetic question : some girls are goddam excellent dancers and spinners, but by putting their arm so high, they look really contracted and tended, it lacks feminine movement ! This position will allow you to gently lower the position of your elbows and relax your neck. You’ll look more fluid and feline, as if spinning was a beginner matter …. ;-)

Hope I have been quite understandable, not that easy in a language that’s not mine. :argue:

Wish you a nice day !
:kisskiss:

[Guarachero]

But one more thing. Some times you have to keep the girl from spinning off her place or just follow her if you have space. Some advanced dancers can become spinning torpedoes :!: