Latin Collective Ladies Styling within Spin Technique

LADIES TURN COMBO LEVEL 1

Hand Styling techniques
All hand styling movements executed during turns are done so in such a way to ensure that the
elbows do not go outside the cylinder formed as the lady spins or turns. There are two types of
movements favoured by most NY style dancers:
Flares – eg RH flare where the back of the right hand passes behind the right ear and the arms
“scrapes” along the side of the head on its way upwards to “touching the sky”. At the top of the
movement the hand is pointed outward. One beat to touch the sky before the hand returns
downwards caressing the back of the head before returing to the front again.
Haircomb – eg LH haircomb Left forearm moves as one unit “pulling hair out of eyes” from front to
back before caressing the back fo the head
before returing to the front again. Remember, left hand touches right ear whilst the left bicep touches
the left ear.
Diving Position /Flamenco – both hands above head with wrists crossed
Footwork Hand Styling
Mambo Basic with Ball Change on back portion
beat 1

2o’clock Right Turn – right foot points to 2 Right hand flare starts on beat 1 reaches top on
o’clock on beat 3 with right heal close to left beat 3 and returns, 5, 6, 7
instep.

Broken Left Turn – using shoulders to generate
momentum and spotting throughout
Half Right, Half Left
Arms front and back on 5, bring in on 6 and
diving position on 7. Bring both arms down back
on 1, 2, 3 and keep arms in front for next move
Left haircomb (5,6,7) with flourish on 6 and then
right haircomb (1, 2, 3) with flourish on 2

Single Right Spin – Prep with left tip-toe in front Cossack style with both hands out in front
on 4 then wind down to the left on 4.5 before
spinning round with the weight on the right foot
through beats 5, 6, 7before “using the left foot as
a brake” on beat 7 with slight overspin. NB Skim
the floor with the left foot
Single Left Spin – Prep with right tip-toe on beat Cossack style with both hands out in front
8. Wind down to right on 8.5 (0.5) and spin to
left beats 1, 2, 3 “using the right foot as a brake”
beat 3
For info on classes, clubnights & workshops visit www.latincollectiveuk.com

Latin Collective Ladies Styling within Spin Technique

LADIES TURN COMBO LEVEL 1
Hand Styling techniques
All hand styling movements executed during turns are done so in such a way to ensure that the elbows
do not go outside the cylinder formed as the lady spins or turns. There are two types of movements
favoured by most NY style dancers:
Flares – eg RH flare where the back of the right hand passes behind the right ear and the arms
“scrapes” along the side of the head on its way upwards to “touching the sky”. At the top of the
movement the hand is pointed outward. One beat to touch the sky before the hand returns downwards
caressing the back of the head before returing to the front again.
Haircomb – eg LH haircomb Left forearm moves as one unit “pulling hair out of eyes” from front to back
before caressing the back fo the head
before returing to the front again. Remember, left hand touches right ear whilst the left bicep touches
the left ear.
Diving Position /Flamenco – both hands above head with wrists crossed

Footwork Hand Styling

Mambo Basic with Ball Change on back portion
beat 1
2o’clock Right Turn – right foot points to 2 o’clock Right hand flare starts on beat 1 reaches top on
on beat 3 with right heal close to left instep. beat 3 and returns, 5, 6, 7

Broken Left Turn – using shoulders to generate Arms front and back on 5, bring in on 6 and diving
momentum and spotting throughout position on 7. Bring both arms down back on 1, 2,
3 and keep arms in front for next move
Half Right, Half Left Left haircomb (5,6,7) with flourish on 6 and then
right haircomb (1, 2, 3) with flourish on 2
Single Right Spin – Prep with left tip-toe in front Cossack style with both hands out in front
on 4 then wind down to the left on 4.5 before
spinning round with the weight on the right foot
through beats 5, 6, 7before “using the left foot as
a brake” on beat 7 with slight overspin. NB Skim
the floor with the left foot
Single Left Spin – Prep with right tip-toe on beat Cossack style with both hands out in front
8. Wind down to right on 8.5 (0.5) and spin to left
beats 1, 2, 3 “using the right foot as a brake” beat
3
For info on classes, clubnights & workshops visit www.latincollectiveuk.com