(Also check out @ Optical Ballerina [AN UPDATE])
I was watching the tv when the Weekend Today advertisement came along.
For those who didn’t know, Weekend Today is the weekend edition of a free local tabloid issued by the government owned MediaCorp Press. Weekend Today is its Saturday edition (God rests on Sunday, incidentally so does this newspaper).
The advertisement builds upon the The Spinning Silhouette Optical Illusion to eventually bring out its tag line, “Sets you thinking. Gets you doing.”. I thought that’s pretty cool.
[Note: Vex not when the screen returns with message that you can't watch it. Click on it again and you will be brought to the respective Youtube site for viewing.]
I first came across the spinning ballerina optical illusion last year. The whole office was raving about it.
We even gathered around a colleague’s workstation during lunch time, all eyes fixated on the ballerina for the next 10 minutes to ’force turn’ it the other way. It’s a wonder how we didn’t end up becoming cock-eyed [Singaporean version...(I think) for crossed eye].
Anyways, I did a quick and dirty research online just now on the ballerina and I found this blog Gabbro B-Sides . Apparently the blog owner has done certain degree of research ont it.
According to him, the spinning ballerina image was originally created by Nobuyuki Kayahara but later “An Australian tabloid recently republished the dancer with a little spiel about how you can use her spin as an indication of whether you are right-brained or left-brained.”.
Those who are interested should pop over to check out the details.
[Note: I'm not embedding the originally created version here because the ballerina turns a lot faster. Those who are trying to hard to 'will it' into the other direction may end up getting nauseatic! So in case you are interested, do follow the link above.]
Going along this spiel, if you are a left brainer, you will see the ballerina turning anti-clockwise (which most of us tend to). The left brain function includes:
- uses logic
- detail oriented
- facts rule
- words and languages
- present and past
- math and science
- can comprehend
- knowing
- acknowledges
- knows object name
- reality based
- forms strategies
- practical
- safe
And if you are a right brainer, you will see the ballerina turning clockwise. the right brain function includes:
- uses feelings
- ‘big picture’ oriented
- imagination rules
- symbols and images
- present and future
- philosophy & religion
- can ‘get it’
- believes
- appreciates
- spatial perception
- knows object function
- fantasy based
- presents possibilities
- impetuous
- risk taking
So, which side of the brain do you think with most of the time?
You can see for yourself how the ballerina turns and you will get the answer. But there again, the human mind is never one sided. We all have the ability to ‘see’ the ballerina turning both clockwise and anti-clockwise.
How to achieve that? I’ll give you a hint: the ballerina is rebellious. She turns towards where you stare not. ;)
Here’s a nice turning ballerina. Have fun!
The Spinning Silhouette Optical Illusion – Click here for more free videos
[...] there has been a surge in hit rate on my post entry on the turning [...]
She turns both ways for me ?
does that mean im right & left brained er…?
Interesting question, Bailee. Well, while I am no expert in this field, I believe we use both sides of our brains – it’s just a matter of which side being more used. And perhaps that’s why it’s possible for us to see the ballerina turn both ways.
Hope you had fun with the optical illusion like I did
Very interesting, this has been circulating via email for quite sometime and had recently popped up again in places like facebook, I think I received this for the first time about 3 years ago, had the whole office looking at it too. I find that I can see the ballarina turn in both directions, all I have to do is stare at it for a while, then close my eyes, imagine her going in the opposite direction, and when I open them she is turning in the opposite direction……most times
Bailee, glad I’m not the only one. She mostly turns clockwise, but it’s easy to see her turn anti-clockwise.
All of the optical illusions I tend to see all of the options easily enough on my own.