let's put this on a job interview test, so that we only hire right-brained people. Seriously, we need to measure every inch of your brain so we can place you accurately.

Glad you're not in-charge of hiring for my industry....

I can concentrate on her foot and get her to spin the other way.. what's that make me?

No matter how long I concentrate on that, I can never get it to spin counter-clockwise.

I've never been able to see those images in the "magic picture" things, either.

Yes, mine goes back and forth too. It switches back and forth every min or so w/ the kids too. Does that mean we have balanced brains?

We came across one last week that doesn't run out of time..just perpetually spins. It gives one more time to concentrate on changing the turn.

Clockwise only for me. I've tried and tried to get her to spin the other direction, but she just will not. My girlfriend and other friends see it both ways, but what's scary is finding someone who only sees it spinning counter-clockwise.

hmmm, does that make VS members predominately right brainers? What does that say?

Here is the page that has a constant image, try this one guys: http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22492511-5005375,00.html

I can't even see the potential for her to be spinning counter-clockwise.

I had thought I'd see it counter clockwise. I was wrong. Very clockwise, and i cant get it to change either, but part of my mind keeps thinking i can work out how I'm perceiving it to be spinning at all, and thus pre prep my mind for the counter spin and thus see it. Which is why i thought Id be counter, but no...

I like these things.

This thing is driving me absolutely insane.

Check the link I left, g-man... it doesn't stop and you'll have more time to change it's direction. Try watching her with only your left eye. Weird but I can make mine change at will using the opposite eye.

I've tried the left eye/right eye thing, I've tried looking away and looking back, I've tried looking at it sideways and upside down and I've tried focusing on her feet, arms, ponytail, nipples, whatever and WILLING her to turn anti-clockwise.

The most frustrating thing was showing it to someone else who sees it switching all the time. They're like "There! Anti-clockwise! See?" No! I don't see.

Same for me Gorillaman. Even using SG's link, i have no luck. Tried covering up all bar the foot, and just making the foot turn anti clockwise. nope. Not evne with just one eye.

Maybe i have 2 right brains.

It's frustrating to hear other people in the room give you their 'recipes' for making her spin the opposite direction. If your brain won't perceive it, it just won't. No matter of reasoning and blinking and visual trickery will bring about that elusive counter-clockwise end - it will only bring about your insanity.

OMG she's going anti-clockwise. Finally.

humph, you're no fun, blankfist (that's my tongue sticking out at you)

Haha. I'm here to be the proverbial stick in the mud.

Not a chance in hell of counter-clockwise. To me, I see it as a 3-D model, and if the outboard side of her leg (side away from crotch) is what's 'pushing through the air' then it seems impossible for her to spin counter clockwise.

MarineGunrock, that's exactly what I thought, then my GF explained the outstretched leg (which clockwise peeps perceive as being her right leg) is the left leg when seeing it spin counter-clockwise. I've stared at this damn thing for a long time, trying to force my brain to recognize the "right" leg as the "left", but to no avail.

It's hopeless for me.

What if she just stops?

Then you've just given yourself a stroke.

119 views. 21 comments. 7 votes. 1 stroke.

@ blank, ROFL

Hey Swampgirl, I can make it spin in either direction at will, too. I think of her stopping and turning around and she does. Can you make it go faster or slower? I have to make her slow down, before I can get her to stop and turn around.

She just slowed down and dropped my t-cell count.

Proof that she's going clockwise!

http://wtf.videosift.com/talk/Dancing-ballerina-proof-that-shes-going-clockwise

I find I can get it to switch back and forth if I cover the image with my hand so that all I can see are the lower legs and feet and focus on those body parts. Usually, it takes a few seconds for the switch to work. I've also seen it switch sometimes if I just take my eyes off of it for a few seconds. it's hard to switch back after that, even if I close my eyes a second time, but it does happen eventually if given a little time.

I can't help but feel somebody is playing a trick with this, but maybe that somebody is just my own perception.

Using the image that SG referenced it became clear to me that key is watching her left foot. If you focus in on it, you can envision it oscillating back and forth with the toes pointed away from you rather than rotating. From there you can envision it going either clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Raargh make it stop!!!

I get clockwise when I look at the entire picture. To get it to go counter-clockwise I focus on the reflection of her foot on the ground.

It's funny, I'm a CS major so theoretically I should be left-brained, but for some reason it's ten times easier for me to see her as going clockwise than counter-clockwise. Hmm...maybe it's a sign I should switch to fashion design instead.

^ Nah, i cant make it go AC, and I'm a computer programmer. Programing has more to do with Art, than is intuited. At least, good programing does.

I think that knowing that others could see it both ways pushed me to see it both ways myself. I think that focusing on the point between the foot and the shadow is what works for me. It's the most ambiguous point of the figure, and therefore is easiest to "change".

if that's spinning counter-clockwise i'll eat and digest my right thumb.

If reading my 3rd post in MGs sift talk on this, lets you see it in the still frame shots, do you still eat the thumb?

My wife and I both see it clockwise, but she's far more artistic than I am. I got her to slow down, but that might just be my crappy browser/computer Excellent sift. I forwarded it to my entire family.

It spins both ways for me too.

Oh, and the left-brain/right-brain non-sense has been shown to be a bunch of new-age garbage. It means nothing. Some of the greatest artists in history were left-handed. Some of the greatest artists in history were right handed.

It doesn't matter. This is an optical illusion. Look at the feet and you can get her to spin either way. Doesn't mean anything.

well, i guess i'm the oddball here. I saw her turning counterclockwise first, and I couldn't make her turn clockwise. Well, until i went to push the upvote button then HEY, SHE'S DOING IT!

@Goofball, i agree about the handedness/artists, but the brain hemispheres are still freaky things.

Split brain

I can't believe no one has asked this, but I do wonder, when they programmed it, which direction it is going? Cause, well, I can make it go both ways and I know that's just not physically possible, so it's merely a trick of the brain . . . but jesus, if only I knew which way it's supposed to go!!!! DAMNIT!

The whole left/right brain thing is nonsense. There is such a thing as hemispheric dominance, but it doesn't have any bearing on your personality. And this animation isn't even a test for it. I wish people would leave this silly little myth behind, it's so brainless for people to keep spouting "oh yes, I'm a left-brain person" as if it means they're all artistic and woo. It's embarrassing.

Shatterdose, check out the blog I made. I mentioned that already.

clockwise only for me.

clockwise but i can change it if i want, and i'm everthing in that list

The whole thing is just a vast generalization.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateralization_of_brain_function

The idea that you can determine how your brain works from watching a ballerina is absurd.

This is the key to seeing it however you want - imagine her jumping when her toe is facing you, and she looks like she is going one way, then imagine her landing instead when her toe is facing you, and she looks like she is going the other way.

And here is another, the REAL KEY to seeing it however you want - imagine you are sitting slightly below her foot level, looking up at her sole, and she is going one way, imagine you are sitting slightly above her foot level, looking down at her feet, and she is going the other way.

With the second technique I can voluntarily switch between perspectives. The difficulty lies in your brain settling on a vertical perspective. Are you above or below her? I like to imagine her on top.

^ You would, too.
I always knew deathcow was a womanizer.

If you cross your eyes enough she slaps her own ass.

awesome! i finally got her to spin counter clockwise! now all i have to do is look at her foot and she changes. i guess cuz my brain knows what to do now.

can anyone make them both spin in different directions? im pretty sure thats impossible.

lol @ Peroxide

I can see them going opposite directions if I look at it in a "wide" view. It reminds me of martial arts when you are sparring and look at the whole person and not focus on specific thing. I have to concentrate real hard.

CW.

This is it

"
MojoeMAN
I get clockwise when I look at the entire picture. To get it to go counter-clockwise I focus on the reflection of her foot on the ground.

It's funny, I'm a CS major so theoretically I should be left-brained, but for some reason it's ten times easier for me to see her as going clockwise than counter-clockwise. Hmm...maybe it's a sign I should switch to fashion design instead.
"

Focus on the reflection people

Strange, when I first watched it, it was going counter-clockwise. Then I scrolled down to read the description, and counter-clockwise describes me pretty well. Then I watched it again, and now it's spinning clockwise. I covered my left eye and just for a second it spun counter-clockwise, then went back to clockwise.

If I watch the continuous image in swampgirls link, it will change directions every few seconds.

I found it very easy to switch by pausing it and imagining the outstretched leg as either her left or right before restarting. (Naturally spun right for me on first look with a brief sputter to the left).

It's a 3d model and its spinning clock wise. All my training in Computer Animation tells me this. I am trying to get her to spin the other way though

The thing is it's not a 3d model at all; it's a looped series of ambiguous frames. She's not literally spinning either way.

Start by looking at the middle of the screen, clockwise.....if you begin from the ground up, counter....worked for me-

Am I the only one that can only see her going counter-clockwise?

totally clockwise no matter what, for me.

and in the link SG posted first thing I noticed was the nipple.

what does it mean?

^ you are using your "lower brain".

I couldn't get this thing to spin counter-clockwise at all. I thought the same thing: "This is a 3D model, and it's rendered with her right leg extended. Though, last night, my gf brought the laptop to bed, and she was looking at it, and while I was laying down (looking at the screen sideways), I finally saw her spinning counter-clockwise. Finally!

It was a fleeting moment lost to history forever.

@ Mink, its the upper brain if your DC and she's on top...

rotfl mink

At first i could only see her spinning clockwise, but after some practicing, i now see her switching from clockwice to counterclockwise if i look at the floor beneath her foot, and depending on the moment i watch the whole picture again, she turns either of both ways.

Pretty cool sift, first vid that made me go through the hassle of registering

yikes. seems like 90% of people see her going clockwise. It took me using peripheral vision to get her to switch. Freaky though because she sort of skipped abeat in my mind when she switched. Amazing what the mind can imply.

I seem to have two right brain halves... Drives me nuts!

Next thing I will see spinning is my laptop out the window in a second (clockwise)

from my brother-in-law, who does research in cognitive psychology:

As far as I can tell, it's an optical illusion that is in the same class as the necker cube, an illusion that I'm sure you are all familiar with, even if you don't know it by name. Both of these are "bi-stable images" (or, in the case of the ballerina, a bi-stable movie, I guess), that your brain can interpret in one of two ways. If you are looking at the cube, with a little practice, you can force it to switch between the two interpretations pretty easily. I suspect that a forced switch will be harder with the ballerina because it's a moving image, but it should be possible. I've found that if I focus just on her planted foot, I can get the rotation to change directions almost at will.

How does it work? The key is that what you are looking at is essentially a two-dimensional image (I was going to say it was a flat image, but that's clearly not the case...) of the ballerina. There are no depth cues and no 3D shading. It is as if you are looking at the projected shadow of a twirling ballerina, if that makes sense. With that in mind, think about it this way: Imagine the ballerina is facing exactly sideways (right or left, doesn't matter). Then imagine that she spins, say, 45 degrees. First, think about what she would look like if she was spinning toward you. Then think about what she would look like if she was spinning away from you. Remember that all you have to look at is a shadow - you can't see a face or any other front/back distinctions. What you should realize is that if she spins 45 degrees "away" or 45 degrees "towards" you, the resulting image is exactly the same. Spin her another 45 degrees (so she's now rotated 90 degrees), and she will either be facing you or she will have her back to you, but again, since it's just a shadow, the image is exactly the same... What it boils down to is that with a 2D projected image (of a ballerina, of a motorcycle, anything, really, there's nothing special about the image they chose), you do not have enough information to tell the direction of rotation. They add the shadow of the feet to make the image more interesting, but again, there's no real rotational information there.

Since you don't have enough information, your mind could choose between two equally likely interpretations (hence the "bi-stable image" name). So when you look at it, your brain picks one interpretation, and then typically sticks with it until it is pushed to reinterpret the image (either by looking away for a while, or really trying to convince yourself that the image is going the other way or, I don't know, whatever else works).

As far as the right-brain, left-brain stuff goes, I don't put any real scientific faith in that terminology. Yes, certain functions like language skills and spatial processing are more localized to one side of the brain than the other. However, calling someone "left brained" or "right brained" should be viewed as an easy label to use to indicate if someone is more creative or more analytical, but it's more like saying that they are "introverted" or "extroverted" than it is a statement about their neuroanatomy.

Does the spin direction of the image reveal your brain-sidedness? I highly doubt it. I can't think of any reason that such a test would be diagnostic.

-- He's way smart.

wait...the ballerina is supposed to be moving???

I'd do her

I just want to say shadowchickie there has clearly never taken a dance class in her life. No center and no extension = no ballerina.

Not sure if this has been posted yes, as I can't be arsed to read through all the comments, but if you look at the constant spinning one here... http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22492511-5005375,00.html then if you want her to get spinning in the other direction draw the circular motion of that direction on your desk with your finger just so you can see it out the corner of your eye, it seems to work a treat if you blink now and again!

if you concentrate on one leg long enough, it goes either way!

no wait! she switches legs!

There are no depth cues and no 3D shading. It is as if you are looking at the projected shadow of a twirling ballerina, if that makes sense.

I wasn't able to see her spinning counter-clockwise until reading blankfist's comment about the outstretched leg being her left or right. Deathcow's note about up/down perspective helps too.

There are depth cues though - relative size of the outstretched leg, the curve of big toe to little toe, floor shadow, etc., but they switch as your perspective switches.

^Jonny, if you look at the outstretched foot in the 'currently perceived' front and back areas of the turn, you'll notice they're the same size at both points. A small foot in front means someone else could perceive it as being the back instead.

even with all the tips i still can't get her to spin counter-clockwise in motion. with still frames i can easily do the 'necker flip' though. curse my unyielding brain!

The first two times I watched it, she was definitely going counterclockwise.
Then she seemed to be going clockwise for 3 more plays.
Then I realized I can make it go clockwise or counterclockwise at will depending on whether I link the moving shadow with the phase when her raised leg is behind her or in front of her.

Shadow of front leg moves across the screen => clockwise
Shadow of back leg moves across the screen => counter-clockwise

Since there is no reason the shadow would appear when her raised leg is in front but disappear when her raised leg is behind her, the shadow must correspond to when the raised leg is behind her. The disappearance of the shadow must occur because the shadow of the raised leg in front of her would be below the bottom of the screen. So it's correct to link the raised-leg-in-back phase with the shadow, and that forces a counterclockwise perception.

3557 views, 87 votes, 80 comments... maybe I should post a video testing which testicle men use.

lawl... "testing testicle"

Number one video! My first one! Why am I so excited? It's not like I created the test.

That is pretty cool. I watched it for almost 15 minutes straight going counter-clockwise trying to make it switch with all the methods listed. I was about to give up, but after focusing on the feet for a few more minutes it just started going clockwise. I'd like to see how they came up with it.

The shadow / reflection gives up the gig... she spins counter-clockwise (left).

Her foot alignment really makes it confusing but when you see the other details, you will see what I mean.


Look at the foot / leg that is lifted (it's shadow at bottom)... you'll see the correct motion. IF I just look at her, she can go either way.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag.(show it anyway)

Can't help but like a nimble young lady who goes both ways.

finally! came back for one last attempt and the lady now spins both ways. it was putting her in peripheral vision that did the trick for me, for the record. focusing a little left of the image made her spin anti-clockwise and focusing a little right of the image made her spin clockwise. also became much easier and controllable if i coupled that with the technique for seeing autostereograms where you shift your focus, like you're staring through the page. can't believe how long this took me. i also found the animated picture in the link that's been supplied in the comments much easier to use.

I was able to see her counterclockwise if I looked at the mouse and watched her only with the side view.
Then she stabilized counterclockwise and couldn't turn her clockwise again, lol.

AC/DC for me

What about those of us that see her turning clockwise and then with about 10 seconds left she started turning the other way.

And my co-worker says "I don't know which way she was turning, I was staring at her breasts." I am calling HR right now.

The first couple times she was going counter clockwise, and then I stared at her feet till she reversed direction and went clockwise. Now all she goes is clockwise. I can't go back.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME!

At first I could only see clockwise.. Now I can sort of do a blink and see her switch direction (focusing on the top body enforces clockwise, focusing on feet enforces anti clockwise).

In the end she came out and punched me in the face.

Deathcow is correct, it's all about vertical perspective. Using the right hand rule with your thumb pointing up her butt then she would be spinning counter-clockwise. If you observe her from the top (thumb pointing down her throat) then she spins clockwise. Really this is just a test of your sexual preference and not brain usage.

I focus on the foot in the reflection to get it to spin counter clockwise. i can almost view it spinning anyway i want it to.

I starred at the one in swampgirls link.. I can not get it to go clockwise, always CC for me... although I did notice the ballerina has nipples...does that just make me a pervert?

I see it primarily going clockwise but it has shifted for me....she has more of a wobble when going counter-clockwise.

CCW at first. Took some work, saw CW. Now can't see CCW.

Tied for 5th most comments!

"Can't help but like a nimble young lady who goes both ways."

Dang you, Dag, and your witty banter!

I can change her direction on blink command. I rulz.

I say the image changes direction at random intervals, all on it's own.

ARGG !!! this thing is driving me CRAZY !~!! ()*&$%)(@@#)(

I've tried everything you damn people have offered as advice, but I can't help but keep looking at her boobies !!!!!!

how the (*)&*($##@ does this get a vote down. probably from someone who didn't like which side of the brain they were told they used.

Trippy! I had to concentrate on the one in swampgirl's link, and it sure helps that it is continuous. I finally got it to go ccw after concentrating on the feet to switch rotation, and then had to concentrate just as hard to switch it back. My head hurts!

This is poor for a illusion, beacause; ONE if you pause it when you think you see her right boob (-0:24 on new youtube player). you can clearly see that on her right hand you see a thumb, geting bigger and smaller when she turns clock-wise and TWO start the video from the start and keep clicking at the beggining, and you all will see that her back is facing you, and the first thing that is on the right side of the screen is her leg, and on the left is her back. so unless she makes a complete 270* turn anti-clock-wise then i dont see how anyone can think shes turning anti-clock-wise.

Cool illusion, but yeah, the left-brain/right-brain thing is BS. Whether you see it going clockwise or counter-clockwise has nothing to do with your brain function, intelligence, inclinations, talents, or whatever. It's just visual perception.

First I saw it counter-clock wise. Then I got stuck on Clock-wise a LOOONG time. My eyes started hurting by the time she turned backed to counter-click wise again.

I think I found the trick to getting her to spin counter-clockwise for those who see her spinning clockwise..

It's only going to work briefly, but I've found... well, a Graphical glitch if you will.

Focus on the bottom of the screen, you'll see a reflection. You see her main leg straight, and the foot twirling, but it's the shadow of the outstretched leg that gives it away. Look at the outstretched legs shadow, I see her going clock-wise every time I look at it, but if I look at that outstretched legs shadow, the only way it ever seems to be moving is counter-clockwise, and if you go from looking at that for a few moments and slowly go up, she SHOULD be turning counter-clockwise.

So, start with the shadow, try to look at it on the far left of the screen, then once you see it going around the back, move up to her leg. If she's going clockwise still, look away, or back down. if you see her leg going counter-clockwise then move up to her chest, and space out for a second, it should be going counter-clockwise, you'll then probably think "Woah, she's going counter-clockwise" and then lose it.

Well after a couple more minutes I can now alternate her direction on command without focusing on any particlar part of the image, or attempting to see it in different ways.

Take that, brain!

*brains
*brief

This video has been flagged as being less than 1 minute in length - declared brief by EDD.

Adding video to channels (Brain) - requested by EDD.

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*promote

Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Sunday, October 14th, 2007 1:33pm PDT - promote requested by berticus.

The trick is to making her change direction is to not think about it, just stare into the picture blankly focusing on one point, and it should switch itself. Don't concentrate on the details of the picture. That's how it works for me, anyway.

I can still switch her direction at will by imagining I am seeing the bottom of her foot, or, the top of her foot.

I can see it both ways with these kinds of things. But I started out seeing it clockwise and it took me almost the entire video to be able to shift to counter clockwise. Usually it's not so hard! I consider myself primarily left brained, although I do feel somewhat balanced with my right brain.

Going clockwise for me, which makes sense since I'm left handed.

I saw counter-clockwise the first few times, then with some effort saw it clockwise.

It seemed to me to be mostly a matter of looking away, and then looking back that made it flip directions.

The answer is simple, she's not a ballerina her boobs are too big