Figure skating is the third most popular television spectator sport after football and baseball, yet many fans do not know the meaning of basic terminology. Let's look at the the forward spin. Each spin has several attributes that define which spin it is. Several of these attributes are interconnected. The most basic of these attributes is direction of rotation.
Most skaters spin counter-clockwise.
One notable exception is Todd Eldrege, who normally spins clockwise. Additionally, Michelle Kwan is famous for having learned to spin in both directions. This is a very difficult skill which very few skaters take the time to learn. The direction of spin determines which foot the forward spin is performed on. Let's use the CCW direction for simplicity.