American Spin (4 counts ; 8 musical beats)
Introduction
The American Spin is a traditional Rock'n'Roll move, a relatively fast move useful for hand changes. The American Spin is similar to a Lady Spin, or Push Spin except that there is a different preparation stage and the lead is more of a pull, than a push.
Steps
- 1: (Step back)
The lady faces south directly in front of the man, who faces north.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his left hand.
The man leads the lady to move backwards (stepping back on her right foot in preparation for an anticlockwise rotation) — by pushing her right hand slightly with his left hand — as he moves backwards (stepping back on his right foot in preparation for an anticlockwise rotation).
- 2: (Step in)
The lady faces south stepped away directly in front of the man, who faces north.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his left hand.
The man leads the lady to move forwards-left and rotate slightly anticlockwise (with weight on her left leg) — by bringing his left hand (and the lady's right hand) across to his right at waist height — as he moves forwards-right and rotates slightly clockwise (with weight on his right leg).
The amount of the turn led can be varied from a small preparation to more than 90o, depending on the lead and style.
- 3: ()
The lady faces east/southeast on the left side of the man, who faces approximately northeast/east.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his left hand.
The man leads the lady to spin 360o clockwise (with weight on her right leg) — by bringing his left hand (and the lady's right hand) backwards between both partners and releasing the lady's right hand from his left hand — as he spins slightly anticlockwise (with weight on his left leg).
- 4: (Catch, and step back)
The lady faces south directly in front of the man, who faces north.
The man typically catches both of the lady's hands in a double handhold, or catches the lady's right hand in either of his hands.
The man typically catches the lady's hands in a double handhold, or catches the lady's right hand in either his left or right hand. The man leads the lady to finish the spin (placing weight onto her left foot as a brake and then stepping back on her right leg) — by pushing her hand(s) slightly with his hand(s) — as he finishes the spin (placing weight onto his right foot as a brake and then stepping back on his left leg).
- 5: (Finish)
The lady faces south stepped away directly in front of the man, who faces north.
The man typically has a double handhold with the lady, or holds the lady's right hand in either of his hands at waist height.
Notes
Variations
The man can do a spin while the lady spins, either mirroring her
or in “opposition” to her, i.e. the man leads the lady into a clockwise spin and then leads himself into a clockwise spin.
The American Spin can be led as a “blocked” version, from a right-to-right handhold, the man blocking the lady with his left hand.
The man can repeat the preparation steps, with either a series of sweeping twists similar to ochos, or even a flat-footed “heavy” jump.
The man can lead a smurfed version, with two separate 180o clockwise turns, instead of a single 360o turn.
Links
- American Spin at Cardiff Le Roc and Dance. Hosted at The Internet Archive.
- American Spin at Robert Pepper's Website. Hosted at The Internet Archive.
- Flick Spin at The Third Row.
Books
- American Spin in Learn To Dance Modern Jive. Robert Austin and Claire Hilliard. Sigma Leisure, Sigma Press, 1 South Oak Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 6AR, UK, 1998. ISBN 1850586020.
Videos
- American Spin in How To Jive With Jive Bunny. Christine Keeble. Castle Music Pictures, How To Jive, Ravenbridge House, Camp End Road, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0NR, UK, 1990.
- American Spin in How To Jive — Featuring Music By The Firebirds.
- American Spin in Le Jive, Le Video — The Complete Instruction Video. Robert Austin and Claire Hilliard. DD Video, DD Video, 5 Churchill Court, 58 Station Road, North Harrow, Middlesex, HA2 7SA, UK, 1995.