Twisting and turning skills are vital in many athletic and artistic endeavors. Figure skaters, gymnasts, and ballet dancers typically have a preferred side of turning on the ground and on jumps. This video looks at the turning tendencies of athletes and ballet dancers. The turning propensities (clockwise/counterclockwise) differ widely depending on the activity. I review some academic research on turning preferences in humans with some surprising results. Innate biological factors can explain some turning preferences, but learned behavioral factors are also a likely determinant.

Background and my story: https://balletfocus.com/new-youtube-v...

Thanks to Stephen Nelson and Flavio Bessi for helpful comments.

Sources
Skating
Jason Brown, Nathan Chen, Cha Junhwan, Sakamoto Kaori, 2022 Olympics, @Olympics
Yuzuru Hanyu, 2018 Olympics, @Olympics
Tara Lipinski, 1998 Olympics, @3Axel1996
Evan Lysacek, 2010 Olympics, @Olympics Figure Skating
Johnny Weir, 2010 Olympics, @Olga Trofimova
Todd Eldredge, 2002 Olympics, @3Axel1996
Oksana Baiul, 1994 Olympics, @Mintaka Alnilam
Sara Hughes, 2002 Olympics, @Olympics
Michel Kwan, 1998 Olympics, @TripleAxel1991
Roslyn Sumners, 1994 Olympics, @3Axel1996
Toller Cranston, 1976 Olympics, @gem7ini

Dance
Angel Corella, Paloma Herrera, Susan Jaffe: ABT Now DVD
Mikhail Baryshnikov: Live at Wolf Trap DVD, Turning Point DVD
Gillian Murphy, Angel Corella, ABT Swan Lake DVD
Francesca Hayward Nutcracker: @Notas de Ballet
Cesar Corrales in Don Quixote: @Dancersdiary
Francesca Hayward and Cesar Corrales: @Royal Opera House
Katherine Healy skating: @floskate
Katherine Healy Swan Lake: @whitewallsm
Royal Ballet Dance Class: @Royal Opera House
Daniil Simkin: @Daniil Simkin
Vladimir Vasiliev, @gramilano
Angel Corella, Herman Cornejo, Gillian Murphy: American Ballet Theatre Swan Lake DVD
Marianela Nunez and Vadim Muntagirov Swan Lake: @Royal Opera House @Profokiev
Michael Jackson Moonwalk Evolution: @Omar Iván
Prince's Best Dance Breaks: @PurpleRainsTube
Gene Kelly-Anchors Aweigh with Jerry Mouse Dancing: @Peter Webb
Fred Astaire Dancing With A Hat Rack, Royal Wedding: @Bill Green
Gregory Hines Solo Tap Scene White Nights: @jbbe2

Men's Gymnastics
Sam Mikulak, Kohei Uchimura, Oleg Verniaiev, Max Whitlock, Nile Wilson, 2016 Olympics, @Olympics

Women's Gymnastics
Nastia Liukin, 2008 Olympics, @Gymnastea
Simon Biles, 2016 Olympics, @Olympics
Aly Raisman, 2016 Olympics, @gymgem

Diving
David Boudia, Thomas Daley, Sascha Klein, Meaghan Benfeito, Brittany Broben, Chen Ruolin: @Olympics

Misc
Brain Asymmetry: @Brainfo
Biomechanical Analysis of Dancers: @mendip89
Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child: @Jimi Hendrix
MLB Best Plays by Catchers: @Never Too Much Sports | MLB & More
Sufi Whirling Dervishes of Konya: @TravelS Aerial and Nefhith
Elgar: Serenade for Strings-Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra: @AVROTROS Klassiek
Baseball pitcher David Cone WS 1996 Gm3: @MLB
Looking back at Mariano Rivera's incredible career: @MLB
Top 10 Moments of Derek Jeter's Career: @MLB
Neymar wins dramatic gold for Brazil in Rio: @NBC Sports
Gymnastics spotting-Running Full Spot: @UGCheer app
Snowboarding, Are You Regular of Goofy?: @Snowboard Addiction

Photographs
Figure skater spin: Women Single Figure Skating Short Program at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne, January 11, 2020, Sandro Halanbk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Royal Opera House and Ballerina: Russ London at English Wikipedia
San Francisco Ballet, Ed Dunens, Wikimedia Commons
Mariinsky Theater: A.Savin, WikiCommons
Francesca Hayward: Francesca Hayward in Manon, photo by Alice Pennefather, Royal Opera House
Simone Biles: Rio de Janeiro - Ginasta Simone Biles, dos Estados Unidos, termina com medalha de bronze a prova final da trave (Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil), Wikimedia Commons
Da'Von Doane: notmydayjobphotography.com
Diver in London 2012 Olympics: Mark Pain

Background Information
Left-handed catchers: The player who no longer exists in the Majors, Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com, 2021
The Real Reason There Are No Left Handed Catchers; I NEED to Know Why There Are NO Lefty Catchers in The MLB, @Antonelli Baseball

Left Handed Classical String Players
Left Handed Violin Playing, violinspiration.com

Lefty Figure Skaters
Southpaw figure skaters face a different set of challenges, Hayley Mick, The Globe and Mail, 2013

Counterclockwise Ballet Turners
Why Do Ballet Dancers Turn Clockwise, balletfocus.com, January 21, 2014
Francesca Hayward, Cory Stearns on Counter-Clockwise Turning, balletfocus.com, April 30, 2017

Prince and Ballet Training
Prince: Always in Motion, Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, MplsStPaul