Thread: What is a barrel turn?

What is this move?

Well, it's like a windmill turn except you cross your foot in front instead of stepping out first.

Check out this clip, about 3:07

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct3bru9dtMo]YouTube - Bellydance superstars 7 - Petite Jamilla[/ame]

There's a couple of different (but similar) things at least called barrel turns. The spinning one, and one that is more like a three step turn.

Roughly - in a barrel turn, your upper body is leaning at a particular degree (depends on you)as you spin and maintains that degree of bend, leaving your head in the same place. You see this move a lot in veil and isis wings numbers.

to us, it is a spin where the same hand and foot are front spotted on the down beat...usually done with veil.

Originally Posted by zamora

to us, it is a spin where the same hand and foot are front spotted on the down beat...usually done with veil.

That's a cool way of describing it!

well, thanks!

Ooohh. Got it. Thanks

let me tell you what *I* think a barrell turn is:

a waste of my time

---
okay let me explain:

i suck at them. I have learned to accept it.

but my troupe had a choreography with THREE extremely quick barrel turns in succession in a crazy wacky "drum" (re synthesizer) song that became the biggest darned thorn in my side, ever, of any choreography we did. hated em.

There was footage of me in performance doing this terrible Oh Screw It thing it turned out I did a lot: I'd get through the first turn, way ahead of schedule, and then I'd screw up the second, so i would stop, and tuck my hair behind my ear, while the rest all got done with their fabulous amazing Oooh What a Feat barrell turns

that the audience couldn't tell were any different than a regular bout of spinning around crazily becuz the song was so screwy, and the spins were so quick.

---
so now I hate barrel turns.

fast-forward to now: if i were to learn a veil routine or Isis routine and it totally called for them and I liked the routine enough to break my mental cement block about them - but of course, they're beautiful, they're amazing, and they're pretty much an advanced move if i ever did see...so kudos to those of you who execute them well, rock on :)

Not Mah Thang.

Your goal in a barrel turn is look like you are rolling in a barrel with your arms out. What I have my students do in order to demonstrate this goal is to put the top of their heads on the wall in front of them, extend arms out and then try to rotate around without taking their heads off the wall.

If you are spotting, you technically spot the floor in front of you and the axis of this turn is horizontal, not vertical. It is a very difficult turn even for seasoned dancers and I can only get about 3 out in a row before I want to fall over!

Originally Posted by Magidah

Your goal in a barrel turn is look like you are rolling in a barrel with your arms out. What I have my students do in order to demonstrate this goal is to put the top of their heads on the wall in front of them, extend arms out and then try to rotate around without taking their heads off the wall.

sorry I was such a negative nancy up there, bad barrel turn memories, but I did want to say that my teacher instructed us this way, too, and it reeeally really helped, so good call, Magidah :)

This is great, I have been trying to work on my barrel turns! Magidah, thank you for the great description and tip for spotting! Also, it was great to meet you in Orlando, loved your dance at Friday's show!!

Gorgeous clip from 'Latcho Drom' -- barrel turns start around 1:30.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8cZL37Y_Wk]YouTube - Banjaras - Sand, Sensuality and Color[/ame]

And Slave, barrel turns are my nemesis as well. Just can't get my feet moving properly.

What a cool clip. Love the little girl in orange. what a cutie

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Gorgeous clip from 'Latcho Drom' -- barrel turns start around 1:30.

YouTube - Banjaras - Sand, Sensuality and Color

And Slave, barrel turns are my nemesis as well. Just can't get my feet moving properly.

I ALWAYS refer to this clip when explaining how insanely perfect barrel turns can be. She is at a 90 degree angle. I love it!

Lauren,
Try practicing a regular 3-step turn side to side. Then practice the same exact 3-step turn, no change in the feet, but with your upper body bent forward between 180- and 90- degrees to the ground, spotting up and forward.

Originally Posted by Azhia

I ALWAYS refer to this clip when explaining how insanely perfect barrel turns can be. She is at a 90 degree angle. I love it!

Lauren,
Try practicing a regular 3-step turn side to side. Then practice the same exact 3-step turn, no change in the feet, but with your upper body bent forward between 180- and 90- degrees to the ground, spotting up and forward.

I love this clip as well, although it makes my back hurt as much as it amazes me!

Originally Posted by Azhia

I ALWAYS refer to this clip when explaining how insanely perfect barrel turns can be. She is at a 90 degree angle. I love it!

Lauren,
Try practicing a regular 3-step turn side to side. Then practice the same exact 3-step turn, no change in the feet, but with your upper body bent forward between 180- and 90- degrees to the ground, spotting up and forward.

REALLY?? I'll try it. I'm a pretty durned good 3-step-turner, this might help me. But how do I move from there to spinning in place? Or will that become obvious when I practice a while?

When I first saw Latcho Drom I loved the dancing and the beauty of it, but found the music too rough and foreign-sounding for my ears. Now I think I could listen to that boy sing all day!

Hmmmm......interesting to think about what the feet do! It can be done as a three-step turn in place, with the first step turning the foot out, the second step crossing over and bringing the pelvis to face back, and the third step turning out to face front, thereby bringing the pelvis around to the front again.

In a classic jazz barrel turn, I believe that it is done like a pirouette: on one leg. But I could be mistaken. (goes to search YouTube)

Lauren,
I find that the 3-step turn + bending the body takes care of the feet.
Just concentrate in your mind on the 3-step turn foot-wise, and the bending of the body as you turn makes everything else adjust.
I've taught beginners how to barrel turn this way.
Spotting up and forward is helpful, too.

OT, Magidah, PM'g you!

random thoughts on barrel turn variations:

...turn in place spotting the floor in front of you, either spinning on one foot or stationary two-foot turns

...walk forward into a 3-step turn, bending towards your leading foot and spotting the floor (an outside turn)

...step sideways into a 3-step turn, bending forward at your waist/hips and spotting the floor (an outside turn)

... step forward into a 3-step turn but bending BACK and spotting up at the ceiling (an inside turn)

In all of these the aim seems to be the same -- to keep the upper body at a particular angle to the floor throughout the the turn, though the side of the body facing the floor changes (obviously).

Originally Posted by Magidah

It can be done as a three-step turn in place, with the first step turning the foot out, the second step crossing over and bringing the pelvis to face back, and the third step turning out to face front, thereby bringing the pelvis around to the front again.

I believe this 3-step turn is called a windmill (in jazz anyway, but it's something else in hip-hop).

Originally Posted by Magidah

In a classic jazz barrel turn, I believe that it is done like a pirouette: on one leg. But I could be mistaken. (goes to search YouTube)

And was taught that a true barrel turn is actually a two step (with more of a horizontal lean as described above).