Shape Matrix (Even-Petal Flowers)

2016 SHAPE MATRIX

2014 Shape Matrix

Shape Matrix Antispin Inspin Flowers

2012 SHAPE MATRIX

SHAPE MATRIX ANTISPIN INSPIN 2012

Shape Matrix of Even-Petal Flowers (rework from 2012)
The shape of the left hand (pink) is paired with a shape of the right hand (blue).

Pure Shapes- Both props make the same shape.
Hybrid Shapes- Each hand is making a different shape.

Monorythmic- Props are moving at the same speed as one another.
Polyrhythmic props- Props are doing a different number of rotations (moving at a different speed).

3D Arm Paths

3D ARM PATHS – 27 ARM PATH THEORY

1: 3 Axes

2: 3 Planes

3: 9 Arm Positions

4: 27 Arm Paths

5: 27 Arm Path TRANSITION Theory

Position Matrix – 64 Pattern Transition Chart

Position Matrix (2013)
Lorq Nichols, Brian Thompson, David Cantor.

In January 2013, I found the mother of all charts — the one we were looking for since the beginning.
It shows all the 1:1 club flowers and transitions between them.
The chart works for 1:3 and 1:5 flowers too, and the concept reaches into every corner of Spin Science.

As soon as I found the chart, I began learning Adobe Illustrator because I wanted to make twelve of them.
No more colored pencils and pens.

Spin Science Simulator

For each hand and each prop you choose:

The starting position

The speed of hand and prop

The direction the hand or prop is rotating (inspin, antispin, same direction, opposite direction)

The plane in which the hand or prop is rotating.

Press play and click buttons to transition!

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40 Flower Shapes

Buy the Poster

The 40 Flower Shapes project (2015) is a response to the question “What’s the first thing to teach people about flowers?”
The Answer? “A bunch of things you can do with one hand.” Before doing complex patterns seen in the shape matrix, it’s helpful to practice one hand at a time until the movement is comfortable, and then add a second prop. Don’t crank your shoulder too hard… Instead, rotate the hips to accommodate for the circle of your arms, and be nice to your body while you make pretty shapes.

Each flower shape moves through very specific positions as the arm travels around in a circle. The 40 Flower Shapes Poster highlights the positions the flowers move through when the hand is pointing up, down, left, and right. So ‘position’ is a snapshot of movement.

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