It's actually quite useful being able to spin in both directions, as it's another element! Think of Robin Cousins, who not only could, but did spin in both directions as a matter of course in his routines. And dancers have to, after all!

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Mrs Redboots
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Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

My coach didnt really "decide". I learned at first CW when I taught myself the 2 foot spin, but once I got into group it was me and another girl and she was CW. For some reason I just followed my coach and did CCW, and I am CCW to this day. I prefer it. Peoples discriptions dont have to be decoded....and I actually am stronger that way...go figure.

That is sooooooo COOL!!!!!! What Team is your Daughter on live a little?

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FSWer

That freaks me out just a little--because, thinking about it, If I were tapped on my left shoulder, I'd turn to the left--if I were tapped on my right shoulder, I'd turn to the right. I wouldn't trust any method where 'contamination' (i.e. touching the student) could alter the results.

does anyone here besides me jump and spin in two different directions?? or am i the only one

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Someone asked whether ice dancers have to spin in both directions. I don't know about the dance spins that are required now, but you do have to be able to do twizzles in both directions. I can (usually) do triple twizzles from a RFI edge, but I can only do doubles from an LFI edge. They're getting better, but it's hard! I do them every time I get on the ice.

When I teach spins to beginners, I usually go by which forward outside 3-turn is stronger. If I'm not convinced that that's the skater's "good direction", I have them try it the other way and ask them which way feels more natural. I have known skaters who spin one way and jump the other way- there was a very good senior lady at my old rink who did that, actually, and I had a little girl in FS 1 group lessons who did it about a year ago- but I personally would try to nip that habit in the bud. It's probably not a big deal, but like others have said, in pairs or synchro it could be a problem.

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flippet - you're right - I don't think they were tapped, maybe just had their names called? It's been a few years since I was on the ice with skaters at that level, so my mind's a bit foggy about it. Maybe they were just tapped on the head?

The coach who did this is one of the best trained technicians we have - so I'm sure she was aware of 'contamination'!

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My daughter is on a provincial Junior synchronized team (Canada).

COOL!!!!!! Is it ok to ask what team? Or would you want to keep that private?

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FSWer

Ask the skater to do the following and observe:

1: Ask the skater to walk forward with there eyes closed. Walk along behind them and after a few steps ask them to stop and turn around. Notice the direction they turn. This should be a good indication of there natural rotation direction.

2: Ask the skater to run a few steps and kick a ball. Notice what foot they kick with. The leg they kick with is probably going to be there landing leg. If they kick with the right leg its a good indication there natural rotation direction is to the left or counter clockwise.

3: Ask the skater to stand with there feet together and jump up and turn around in the air as many times as they can. The direction they turn is a good indication of there natural direction of rotation.

4: Ask the skater to jump up and land on one foot. Notice which foot they land on. The foot they land on is a good indication of the stronger or landing leg. If they land on the right foot its a good indication there natural rotation direction is to the left or counter clockwise.

5: Try these little exercises several times over a week so without asking the skater to turn either direction. You should be able to get a pretty good idea of the skaters natural direction of rotation.

Ask the skater to do the following and observe:

1: Ask the skater to walk forward with there eyes closed. Walk along behind them and after a few steps ask them to stop and turn around. Notice the direction they turn. This should be a good indication of there natural rotation direction.

2: Ask the skater to run a few steps and kick a ball. Notice what foot they kick with. The leg they kick with is probably going to be there landing leg. If they kick with the right leg its a good indication there natural rotation direction is to the left or counter clockwise.

3: Ask the skater to stand with there feet together and jump up and turn around in the air as many times as they can. The direction they turn is a good indication of there natural direction of rotation.

4: Ask the skater to jump up and land on one foot. Notice which foot they land on. The foot they land on is a good indication of the stronger or landing leg. If they land on the right foot its a good indication there natural rotation direction is to the left or counter clockwise.

5: Try these little exercises several times over a week so without asking the skater to turn either direction. You should be able to get a pretty good idea of the skaters natural direction of rotation.

Personally, I am very ambidextrous off ice. On ice, I jump/spin CW. I can do basics in both directions. I teach students in group lessons to turn/spin both ways. I teach basic jumps both ways (bunny, waltz). As I watch a kid skate, I can tell which leg they favor by how they stroke, glide, do spirals etc. I have not taught higher levels so I have not worked w/ kids deciding which direction to choose.

Kay

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no, you arent the youngest Im sure.
My dd does her jumps and spins ccw right now. just seems to be how she is.

I've been using this trick for a couple of weeks and I absolutely LOVE it! It takes away the "but I like it better that way" argument, because it's obvious which is the stronger leg/direction.

Thanks for the great suggestion!

I asked my coach this question once. He told me to skate in front of him. He then called my name. Of course I turned around to see what he wanted. The direction you turn is your stronger side and how he determines which way you spin and jump.

Chico

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I wonder, too, whether directional preference is determined by how well you know your right from your left. I simply don't know, automatically, and always have to stop and think about it (so irritating when driving - especially on the continent, or in the US, where the traffic is on the other side of the road from home, so I'll usually say "Turn right here" when I mean "Turn left" simply because it's the 3rd exit from the roundabout, which, at home, is right!).

And I don't know which way I jump and spin - like many others, I taught myself to jump CCW and spin CW. But then, as various readers of these forums will attest, on Thursday I got disoriented in my programme, had to rescue it "on the fly" and wound up skating past the judges in the wrong direction from that which I'd practiced. And when it came to the cherry flip (toe loop), I simply couldn't remember which way to jump, or which foot to pick in with....... disaster.....

I'm pretty sure that, had I not learnt to skate at the very end of the "Adults can't jump and spin, they do dance" era, I'd have been a clockwise skater. As it is, I'm anti-clockwise, but not very comfortable! I still spin (badly) in either direction.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

When I was in learn to skate and for my first year of private lessons, I jumped and spun CW. When I was 14, I switched coaches and my new coach said I spin better CCW, so switched all my jumps and spins. Now, 10 years later, I can still spin very well CW and until very recently was jumping CCW and doing some spins CCW (camel, sit, sit-change) and some CW (flying camel, layback).

I decided in March that I wanted to do everything CCW since I wasn't going anywhere with everything switched all around, and started working on all CCW spins only. I can now do a decent camel-back camel (something I've never thought I could do since I couldn't do a CW camel) and flying camel CCW. Layback has been incredibly difficult to switch. It's still solid CW but really iffy CCW - I travel the second I start to lean back which is death for a layback.

I'm not a great jumper beyond singles, but I think working on CCW spins will help that. Especially the CCW backspin, which used to be terrible but has gotten markedly better. I can still do waltz, toe loop, and sal CW but they're not good. Loops and flips were 1/2 turn cheated and totally awkward the last time I attempted them, and no lutz.

As far as moves, I waver. I usually like LO turns and RI turns best - but both for counters (CW) and three turns (CCW). I think it's more a leg strength thing than a rotational thing. On novice moves, I can do the CW rocker-choctaws better (RBI rocker to RFI-LBO choctaw) but the LBI-RFI threes (CCW) better.

What can I say, I'm weird!

The only drawbacks to these two methods are other activities--such as band and military. I was active duty for a while (go Air Force) and if you asked me to walk away and I turned around, it would be clockwise, because that is an about-face and feels natural. I don't know what I did pre-AF, but I am right handed and turn clockwise. However, I spin and jump CCW. And I kick and land right footed.

When I play cards, I deal left handed. And I count (for surgical procedures) left handed. I'm just confused, I guess.

I made a list of the CW skaters at my rink that I could think of--there are about 12 of us off the top of my head, and about 6-8 of them I see regularly at FS sessions. Most of them are CW skaters but write right handed. I'm CW and write lefty (but use righty scissors b/c lefty ones are ATROCIOUS in my experience, very hard to use). I also mouse with my right hand (but that's so I can write and mouse without my paper getting in the way of my mouse pad, which is useful at work).

My basic skills instructor at the time had us try both directions, and didn't make us commit to a side when we learned 2-foot spins. We did have to choose when we started learning waltz jumps, so that we would spin and jump to the same direction.

As far as the science to it, it would be interesting to see if anyone in the Figure Skating Science program (or whatever it is called) at University of Delaware has ever studied rotational direction....