Archie Double Spin (5 counts ; 10 musical beats)

Also known as: Archie Eight.

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 turn 270^o clockwise (with weight on her right leg) under his left hand (and the lady's right hand) — by bringing his left hand (and the lady's right hand) over both partners' heads to waist height — as he moves left and turns 270^o anticlockwise (with weight on her left leg) under his left hand (and the lady's right hand) so that both partners face each other.

4: ()

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's left forearm is locked vertically against (and slightly to the right of) the lady's right forearm.

The man leads the lady to turn 360^o clockwise (with weight on her right leg) under his left hand (and the lady's right hand) — by pushing her right forearm to his left with his left forearm and raising his left hand (and the lady's right hand) from shoulder height to above the lady's head.

5: (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's left hand is at head height.

The man leads the lady to finish the turn (placing weight onto her left foot as a brake and then stepping back on her right leg) — by pushing her right hand slightly with his left hand — as he lowers his left hand (and the lady's right hand) to waist height and moves backwards.

6: (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.