You’ve just started dancing a short time ago and you would like to learn how to spin without getting dizzy or loosing balance.
In the video below, I’m sharing with you 3 basic exercises to spot while you turn, but let me share some bits before.
Why do I get dizzy when I spin?
Spinning used to be one of my biggest challenges in the past, and they still are, but just in a different level.
If you have just started dancing, you might be interested in this other article I wrote: Bellydance: your first steps.
I remember the feeling of loosing my balance, the feeling of not knowing where and how to stop. I used to feel scared of turning, to be honest, and most of my problems came from the same place, the lack of spotting.
Spinning techniques
Apparently this seems to be not very important, and we don’t take it seriously. You start turning without control, and then you start worrying about not having your feet well positioned or because you can’t coordinate your arms.
And you keep on practising, mostly on your own (because in any decent class your teacher would tell you about the spotting technique and would make you practice it).
Until one day you discover that thing they call spotting in ballet
This means hooking your eyes to a still spot while you turn.
Having a spot is like having and anchor, like having a place to hold on with your sight, even if it’s a virtual holding spot it helps. A safe place to hold on, a reference.
On a brain level, when you use the spotting technique, you are avoiding dizziness (or at least your are delaying dizziness), because the information your brain is receiving from your eyes and ears is the same.
Let me explain myself a bit better: When you go in a car or a train, if you pay attention to the trees that are passing over, your eyes are going crazy trying to focus on every single one of them, while your ears are sending the signal to your brain that everything is still. Different information in your brain from different sources causes dizziness.
This video from Science for Kids explains it very well.
This is why it’s better to focus your sight on a place, and if that spot is far away, even better.
There are some specific turns when we won’t spot, specially in ethnic dances. My philosophy is always: the more tools you have, the better. Later on you’ll be free to decide what to use and when to use your tools.
And here comes the question,
How can you develop the coordination you need to keep that spot? In today’s video I’m sharing with you 3 easy exercises in less than 5 minutes, and you will have enough material to work on for weeks.
Remember that discipline is a basic if you are willing to improve. Nothing is learnt from one day to the next. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t manage to do it when you try it for first time.
To sum up, spotting gives you:
- Less or none dizziness.
- Capacity to move through space/stage.
- A better balance.
It’s worth to learn the spotting technique, isn’t it?
And after watching todays vid is your turn, as usual.
Share with us in the comments below: Had you been taught before about this topic? Do you usually practice it or you just ignore it? Have you noticed any differences in your turnings thanks to spotting?
I’m interested in your experience and I get really excited when I get comments
Thanks a lot for your visit.
Hugs,
Zahida.
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