Archie Spin (3 counts ; 6 musical beats)
Also known as: Arch.
Introduction
The Archie Spin is reputedly named after James Archibald Cronin, one of the founders of Ceroc®. The Archie Spin should be led with a very light handhold, e.g. fingertip to fingertip, if the lady doesn't follow the lead, the man must let go of their hand — since the move has the potential to wrench an arm.
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 and rotate slightly anticlockwise (with weight on her left leg) — by pushing her right hand slightly with his left hand — as he moves backwards and rotates slightly clockwise (with weight on his right leg).
Some men signal the Archie Spin by twisting their left hand and the lady's right hand anticlockwise (from his viewpoint) so that their palm faces up with the elbow pointing down. Some men will also place their left thumb on the back of the lady's right hand to avoid losing grip — providing that the handhold remains loose and both partners can let go easily.
- 2: ()
The lady faces south/southeast on the left side of the man, who faces approximately north/northeast.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his left hand — the man's left hand is rotated slightly anticlockwise (from the man's the man's viewpoint) so that the man's left palm faces upwards and his left elbow points down.
The man leads the lady to move forwards-right and rotate 90+o clockwise (with weight on her right leg) — by “untwisting” and raising his left hand (and the lady's right hand) from waist height to above head height, i.e. rotating the hands clockwise (from his viewpoint) continuing the motion to start to form the arch — as he moves forwards-left and rotates 90+o anticlockwise (with weight on his left leg), so that both partners twist in towards each other.
- 3: ()
The lady faces west close to on the right side of the man, who faces west.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his left hand — the man's left hand holds the lady's right hand in an arch above both partners' heads.
The man leads the lady to move right and finish the turn (placing weight onto her left foot as a brake and then stepping back on her right leg) — by bringing his left hand (and the lady's right hand) over both partners' heads to waist height — as he moves left and finishes the turn (placing weight onto his right foot as a brake and then stepping back on his left leg).
- 4: (Finish)
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.
Notes
Variations
The Reverse Spanish Inquisition: A right-to-right fast, smooth, variation is to lead a top-turn, into an Archie Spin.
A useful variation is to lead an Archie Spin with right hands crossed over left hands, and then follow with a Spring Lock.
Can lead successive Archie Spins.
It's possible to lead a (clockwise) spin after an Archie Spin by continuing to carry the hands across towards the left, during the last step, as preparation — or to continue bringing the hands into an anticlockwise spin.
The swing is a double-handed Archie Spin variation with a double handhold left-to-right and right-to-left — the right-to-left hand sweeps through under the arch, maintaining the double handhold.
Unusual, but possible, variations are for the man to lead the Archie Spin from a right-to-right, right-to-left, or other handhold — although the lead/signal then becomes more difficult — and the lady may not necessarily expect the move.
Links
- Arch at Cardiff Le Roc and Dance. Hosted at The Internet Archive.
- Arch at leroc.net. 2001. Hosted at The Internet Archive.