Hands..

[ShyDancer]

A bit of a strange question, but how do you make your hands/fingers look nice while keeping them outstrecthed? Mine tend to look deformed!
This is both in Latin and New Vogue (which pretty much works on standard techniques)

My teacher is forever pushing my fingers into the proper position (according to him at least) but they just dont stay put..my little finger extends about 3 feet out (ok slight exageration) and my thumb wont stay in either...it works ok if I dont stretch them, but as soo as I stretch.....

Is there a technically correct way to have them? Or is it open to interpretation?

[tasche]

This is hard to describe but I thinkif you concentrate on maintaining the stretch throughout the whole shoulder/arm/hands they'll naturally go that way after a while

Think about it as presenting your hand to the audience. In ballet they often emphasise when your pointing you point to think " here is my foot isn't it beautiful"

[twodance]

For a lady think of holding a champagne glass in your hand. When your hand is away from your body you tour your hand over and pour the champagne out.

[MacMoto]

Arm styling is one of the things I'm working on at the moment, so I'm not in a position to be able to offer advice, but my (salsa) teachers say:

When you stretch your arm out, extend it from centre, i.e., put your hand near the heart (as near as practical anyway) then stretch your arm from there.

Focus on stretching your middle finger. If you start with touching your middle finger with your thumb then stretch the middle finger straight out, the thumb should stay in.

[tasche]

I should also add to my previous comments that it should be a gentle stretch concentrating on maintainging a gentle tension in your arms. They should not be stiff or strained but at the same time if someone were to try and force your arms out of position the would find some resistance

Macmoto has described what I was trying to say if you trya nd stretch from your core out through your arms its much easier than trying to stretch your hands alone :wink:

[ShyDancer]

I have the core stretch ok... I learnt that pretty quickly after coming home a few times with aching shoulders :lol: :lol:

Its those fingers that I dont like! No matter how relaxed the rest of my arm is my little finger just points...Im seriously considering strapping it to the next finger on my exam day...



When you stretch your arm out, extend it from centre, i.e., put your hand near the heart (as near as practical anyway) then stretch your arm from there

I have been working on this as well, I practice it all the time and its really coming easily now, I do it everywhere, even while Im sitting watching TV or driving :lol:

[dancin_feet]

Flawless arms from my ballet days, you need to move your arms from underneath, not from the shoulder. Makes is easier on your shoulder muscles but also adds to the flowing and weightless look when moving your arms.

Hands for smooth / standard I have always done a flat hand, fingers together (though not tight), slightly cupped. Move the fingers with your arms, so when moving your arms out, curl your fingers in and extend them last of all when your arm is in position. To me it's all about moving your upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand and fingers in that order to make one flowing movement.

Latin is a little less refined, can separate the finger slightly to make a sharper and more dramatic look. But still need to move the arm from underneath and let your forearm follow your elbow to help the fluid look.

This guy at our studio has this habit I have noticed lately of extending his arm out (especially in sharp movements) and splays his fingers out with his middle finger down (looks a bit like giving someone the finger in reverse!). :shock:

[MadamSamba]

Then there are the schools of "shadow puppet" and "make like you're taking something off the shelf"...one teacher I know tells her students to hold her fingers as though she's making a shadow puppet on the wall. It's kinda odd, but looks quite nice from afar. Similarly, mine tells me that I should hold my hands (and fingers) as though I'm reaching for something off a shelf.

[dave_aw]

A quite amusing tip for latin ladies (and to a *much* lesser extent men) that I heard from a teacher once.

If you spread your fingers out and then press the middle finger to the thumb and imagine this is a bunny-rabbit, then keep the rabbit's mouth facing outward away from your body, including when its behind you - thats the "fed bunny" approach. The other shape is the "hungry bunny" approach - separate the middle finger and thumb a little way to make it look like the mouth is open.

I was a bit appalled to hear it, but having seen some of her students do this on the floor its a lot better than many of the other beginners I've seen...

Most important thing for guys is that the hand is the extension of the arm line - keep it fairly relaxed and neutral. Ladies can use the hand to add shape and drama to their shapes, e.g. sharply bent wrist and fingers splayed out (middle finger downward, little finger up, thumb more tucked in).