Origins of the Alabama Twister

Did you know the Alabama Twister used to be called "the DeAnna."? Yep, true story! Back in 2008, I actually came up with this step, but when we were filming Volume 9 in San Francisco, we all agreed we couldn't officially name it "the DeAnna."

Just a few weeks before filming, Alabama had experienced some major tornadoes that made the headlines. So, when it came to renaming the step, Wendy Allen suggested the name Alabama Twister! We all instantly loved it and later that day Megha introduced it on the Volume 9 DVD, "Anatomy of a Step."

Why and how was it created?

Believe it or not, I like to push the boundaries a bit. See, I have a deep appreciation for structure and rules, but I also enjoy finding ways to stretch them without breaking them entirely.

Let me give you some context. I always had a thing for the (Arabic) Hip Twist Half Turn, but as a relatively new dancer, I struggled with the timing to stop the half turn and face the audience. It was particularly challenging when I wanted something more dramatic at the end of a phrase or song, rather than just a Pivot Bump to transition from the half turn.

One day in practice we were reviewing the rules of a Hip Twist Flourish: If you're in a Hip Twist and you notice the leader glancing over their right shoulder, it's our cue to add a flourish on counts 5-6-7-8. So, I thought... if you're in a Hip Twist Half Turn and the leader looks over their shoulder, could we conclude the half turn with a flourish on counts 5-6-7-8?

To make sure fellow dancers could see my gaze since we were in a half turn, I decided to gaze over my left shoulder instead of the right. That way, it was evident that I was giving a cue, not just looking at the audience.

As Megha used to say, it's the "hey y'all, we're about to turn" cue.

We tried this variation during one of our practice sessions, and guess what? It worked like a charm! Everyone caught onto it right away. Not only did it adhere to the existing rules, but it also made it easier for me to exit the half turn and added a touch of drama to end a phrase or song.

In context of the last few weeks’ blogs regarding dialect:

This step needed minimal explanation, it was easy for everyone to grasp, and it's essentially just a variation of an existing step, following the existing rules.

Let’s have some fun with this step!! Join me in the Alabama Twister class where we’ll look at the technique, timing of the turn, transitions and play around with all the ways we can use it with musicality and phrasing. Get ready for lots of dancing!