Reconnecting after a release

[Whitebeard]

In a move such as the Manspin (turn) the follower's hand trailing down the back (which can be quite delicious), and as usually stressed by the teacher, is an obvious physical cue.

But why does it 'usually' work so well where there is no such physical cue as to precisely where those hands should be. Take the Catapult where the follower is brought alongside from behind and sweepingly led to round the front and into a (let's get it right) CW spin. I am not aware of actually looking for that other hand at the end of the spin and yet, 'almost always', we do reconnect and smoothly go into the return. Is this down to the skill of the follower or am I, somehow, unconsciously, contributing to this happy state of affairs ??

[MartinHarper]

You're both unconsciously contributing to this happy state of affairs. It's down to the skill of both leader and follower. If the leader is bad at this bit, a good follower can compensate. If the follower is bad at this bit, a good leader can compensate. This is just one of the many skills to be acquired in dancing with less talented dancers.
(add salt to taste)

[Graham]

Just to expand a little on Martin's answer, basically on that type of spin the trick is for the follower to leave her hand extended at around waist level as she comes round to face on the rotation where she wants to reconnect (if she's doing multiple spins it won't be extended until the last rotation, or at least what she's intending to be the last rotation). Since you're basically waiting with your hand in the right place, as she comes round her hand just slaps neatly into yours and you carry on dancing. The leader's skill is in correctly judging the height at which the follower's hand will come round. The follower's skill is in extending her hand at the appropriate time and at a consistent height.

[Gadget]

that and you generally pick up a hand where you left it: if you release at waist level (as you should), you can normally leave your hand in the same position to pick it up at exactly the same level.
If you release high or low, or with excess vertical movement, then you may have troubles catching. Generally if your hand is fractionally below her elbow height, then you will be able to catch and collect with minimal effort.

[MartinHarper]

Originally Posted by Graham

Since you're basically waiting with your hand in the right place...

No, no, no. What you have to do is show off wildly whilst the girl is spinning, panic when you realise she's finished spinning and wants to be lead, and make a wild grab for her hand at the last possible moment to flick her into a return...

[Gadget]

you actually bother to make a grab for the hand? Just show off some more and collect it when it's resting on her hip with her foot tapping and she is shaking her head at you... or perhaps that's just me

[spindr]

Actually, the correct "reconnection technique" is to do 1.5 spins into the man spin, instead of 0.5 of one.

Then look down meaningfully at the lady's hand -- which will probably have succumbed to gravity during your rotation -- and will probably have dragged round you shall we say "at somewhat lower than waist height".

Remove hand from current location (or leave it their at your discretion)

And then look back at the lady

SpinDr.