# Can You Work This Illusion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 6, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048 "2008-12-06T22:12:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048/1 "2008-12-06T22:12:51Z")
I’m sure this must’ve been asked before, but I couldn’t find it in a search. Anyway there’s a gif of a dancer spinning. I can only see her spinning clockwise. Supposedly some will see her spinning counterclockwise (or anticlockwise if you prefer). Some can see either way [Spinning Dancer](http://tinyurl.com/spinnergif) Can anyone see her spin either way? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048/2 "2008-12-06T22:17:54Z")
If I time blinking just right, I can make her reverse direction at will. That is, when I’m not distracted by what appears to be an erect nipple. ---
**Author:** ![Bravo\_Romeo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bravo\_Romeo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bravo_Romeo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048/3 "2008-12-06T22:41:08Z")
You’re right, this has been posted before but I can’t find it either. I wouldn’t say that I can make her change direction at will, but I have seen both ways. Maybe try covering all but her foot until you can see that part spinning anti-clockwise, and then slowly uncover the rest of her. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048/4 "2008-12-06T22:50:49Z")
> [@Hyper Aware](#): > > You’re right, this has been posted before but I can’t find it either. There have been at least three threads: > **["Ambiguous" animation indicates brain handedness](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=442181)** > > I got sent a link to this story today, and I had to share: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22535838-5012895,00.html Watch the silhouette of the dancer. Do you see her spinning clockwise or counter-clockwise (I’m assuming this... > **[Which way is she going? Settle this argument!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=440898)** > > Which way is the dancer spinning? And which foot is she spinning on? Typo Knig and I were actually arguing. I could not believe that he did not see her spinning the same way I did. When I saw, quite clearly, that she was facing away, he insisted... > **[Right vs left Brain optical illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=440162)** > > I found this animation, which supposedly is able to test whether you are dominantly right or left brained. I can’t find the research that supposedly backs up this claim. Could it be true? I’m sure that the right/left division isnt as stereotypic as... ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048/5 "2008-12-06T22:55:19Z")
I can see it both ways, no problem. I can switch it when her leg passes the other one. ---
**Author:** ![Caveat\_lector\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@Caveat\_lector\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caveat_lector_1)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048/6 "2008-12-06T23:09:29Z")
I can do it, but it is more at random. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048/7 "2008-12-06T23:10:47Z")
It didn’t take me long to be able to mentally switch at will. I am sure this is obvious, but for me the trick is, when you perceive the leg to be nearer to you, try to think of the leg as further away from you, then she starts spinning the other way. ---
**Author:** ![Mirasol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Mirasol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirasol)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048/8 "2008-12-06T23:17:27Z")
This page has a tool to help you see her spinning either way by adding temporary “eyes”: [http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/sze\_silhouette/index.html](http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/sze_silhouette/index.html) Also lots of good information/explanation about the illusion there. For me, I find really squinting (eyes just barely open) helps me to see her change direction, but YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048/9 "2008-12-06T23:23:07Z")
I go with the blinking to make her change directions. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-work-this-illusion/476048/10 "2008-12-06T23:23:26Z")
Able to see her go both ways (heh heh heh) without covering any of the GIF or blinking. Almost suspected for a moment that the GIF reversed animation at random times, but further experimentation ruled that out.