Which Way Is The Dancer Spinning

EDIT: CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ACTIVATE ANIMATION

This is called the Spinning Dancer Illusion. Nobuyuki Kayahara created this image. This is an ambiguous image that can be seen spinning both ways. Some people can see it spinning both ways occasionally simultaneously. Essentially, "...the spinning dancer illusion is related to bistable perception in which an ambiguous 2-dimensional figure can be seen in from two different perspectives.Because there is no third dimension, our brains try to construct space around the figure. Similar illusions include the Necker Cube and the Reversible Face/Vase Illusion."

Source: http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/ig/Optical-Illusions/spinning-dancer-illusion.htm

EDIT: When I say some people can see the dancer spinning both direction simultaneously I mean that some people can look at the image and make the dancer spin clockwise and counter-clockwise without looking away.

Counter clockwise.
 
EDIT: Wow, I just completely forgot how clocks worked apparently.
 
I change my vote to Clockwise.

I can only see it clockwise. At one point, about two years ago when I first saw this, I could see it spinning both ways. Now I'm stuck only seeing it spin one way.

Are GB's ads really reduced to this?

I love that little gold medallion.

I can only see it clockwise. At one point, about two years ago when I first saw this, I could see it spinning both ways. Now I'm stuck only seeing it spin one way.

Neither and both. At the same time.

@JasonR86: When you look at it this big it's obvious that the dancer is spinning clockwise, but at the low resolution that you typically see it the thing can sort of go both ways.

@nintendoeats said:

Are GB's ads really reduced to this?

I love that little gold medallion.

It's not an ad. I'm just curious.

@N7 said:

@JasonR86 said:

I can only see it clockwise. At one point, about two years ago when I first saw this, I could see it spinning both ways. Now I'm stuck only seeing it spin one way.

How could you have seen it spinning both ways? That's some Steven King shirt right there.

@nintendoeats said:

@JasonR86: When you look at it this big it's obvious that the dancer is spinning clockwise, but at the low resolution that you typically see it the thing can sort of go both ways.

Here's a break down, frame by frame of what is happening.

It was designed to be entirely ambiguous so that it can be seen spinning either, or both, directions.

It's obviously clockwise.

@JasonR86: Well, it IS an ad. But I'm glad to know that it isn't on GB.

Counter

Clockwise, I tried to see it going the other way but couldn't.

@nintendoeats said:

@JasonR86: Well, it IS an ad. But I'm glad to know that it isn't on GB.

Hah, ok. It's an 'ad'. I don't know what they're selling ('they' meaning 'me') but that's ok.

@FluxWaveZ:

Cool, thanks. I couldn't get it to work within the poll.

@JasonR86: Just drag and drop the actual gif in your first comment and it'll work.

Whoa. For a second I saw it going clockwise, moved my eyes away from the pic because I thought I saw a different movement, and now it's spinning clockwise. Wonder how I can get it to go counter-clockwise again. Hmm.

@JasonR86 said:

@nintendoeats said:

@JasonR86: Well, it IS an ad. But I'm glad to know that it isn't on GB.

Hah, ok. It's an 'ad'. I don't know what they're selling ('they' meaning 'me') but that's ok.

nonononononono. Ok, restart.

You know that banner ad with this image in it? I inferred from your poll that GB was now running that ad. When I said that it is an ad, I meant that this thing IS culturally related to an ad.

@nintendoeats said:

@JasonR86 said:

@nintendoeats said:

@JasonR86: Well, it IS an ad. But I'm glad to know that it isn't on GB.

Hah, ok. It's an 'ad'. I don't know what they're selling ('they' meaning 'me') but that's ok.

nonononononono. Ok, restart.

You know that banner ad with this image in it? I inferred from your poll that GB was now running that ad. When I said that it is an ad, I meant that this thing IS culturally related to an ad.

Oh. Huh, I've never seen the banner ad with that image in it.

Anyway, getting back to the nitty-gritty of this: If you compare the frames, the dancer is very clearly spinning clockwise. Look at the shadow of her foot, the movement of the hips and hair...I'm sure that this is fascinating to neurologists but at the core of it she IS spinning clockwise, despite being designed to appear ambiguous.

Best way to get it to change directions is to look at the pivot foot/calf and move the image on and off of the screen. It will switch after a few tries for most people.

I managed to see it spin both directions! At first I could only see it going clockwise, and then for some odd reason I scrolled down and saw the image FluxWavez posted and saw it spinning counter clockwise. I went "Oh it must be a mirror of the original image". And then a scrolled back up and clicked the image again and it was totally spinning counter clockwise! And now I can switch back and forth between clockwise and counter clockwise! I've leveled up!!

I remember when i first saw this on an ad, i was able to see it spin both directions.

Years later, i only see it going counter clockwise.

Am i getting old :\

I never understood how anybody saw it any other way than clockwise. I've seen that thing many times before, and it was always clockwise. Still is.

She only spins counterclockwise 72% of the time, all of the time

Oh hey, what's up 2002. I didn't see you there.

@ajamafalous said:

Oh hey, what's up 2002. I didn't see you there.

I guess I'm too old-fashioned for you young whippersnappers.

Only counter, no matter what i do. So i don't see the argument for obviously spinning clockwise.

@Shirogane said:

Only counter, no matter what i do. So i don't see the argument for obviously spinning clockwise.

There really isn't one. If you look at the still of the .gif on the OP you'll see that the dancer's pivot foot looks to be pointing either away from us or toward us depending on how you interpret it. Same thing with her other foot, her head, etc. It all depends on how you look and interpret the image. I've heard that a lot of people interpret the pivot foot as being the dancer's right foot or left foot. I see the pivot foot as being her left foot and I also see the image spinning clockwise. I imagine a counterclockwise person would see the pivot foot as being the dancer's right foot.

I cannot see the counterclockwise motion at all. I only have one eye that works. I wonder if that has something to do with it.