Stand up straight with your arms to your side. Make sure you have plenty of room around you and the floor is even.
Decide which direction you can turn best in. Some people turn best to their left and some people turn best to their right. Your ideal direction is the one that gives you the most balance and speed.
Take the opposite foot and cross it over. If you turn best to your left, take your right foot and cross it over your left foot. Keep your right and left foot parallel.
Hold your arms out. To wind up for a spin, take your left arm and move it across your body at shoulder length. Take your right arm and hold it back behind you.
Swing your arms to your left to begin the spinning movement. Keep your center of balance the same and your legs and back perfectly straight.
Bring in your arms. Either put them against your side, cross them across your chest, raise them above your head or put your hands on your hips. Whatever you do, they should not be sticking out as you spin.
Spin like a top in the counterclockwise direction. Keep both feet on the ground at all times. Hold the spin for as long as you can.
Stop the turn when you feel like you are losing your balance. Try and time the stop so you end facing the same direction as you started.
Repeat the pencil turn over and over. You should be able to do two complete rotations, but see how many more you can do without losing your balance.
Try doing the pencil turn without winding up first. Do not cross your legs and start with your arms at rest. Practice this until you can do two full rotations. This will be very hard and you probably will not accomplish this in the first session.
Put on some jazz music. Dance normally; then try a few pencil turns.