hands/fingers

[Guest dancingostrich]

our classs got corrected about our hands. she said that we connect our 3 fingers (pinkie, ring, aned middle) after that i have tryed my best to keep them seperated, but they look really strange to me. it seems like im just putting my thumb in and my other fingers are just hanging out like they would when you give someone a "high five." is there anything that you could tell me that might help my unballet hands?

[Victoria Leigh]

Don't "put" your hands. Don't "fix" them. Don't "hold" them. Relax the wrist joint and let the hands move freely, without strain. They should look free and natural. Move the arms from the back muscles correctly and let the hands alone with the wrists not held.

The energy extends out through the fingers, but no tension at all. They don't droop, but they are free.

[Mel Johnson]

That sounds to me like the old RAD "barre" hand position. In the center, the hands could relax. The idea was to keep the hands at the barre in that fashion so that they would become accustomed to the gentle curve that's used in everything except maybe arabesque, where the line of the hands is straighter. I think they've modified more to the idea that Ms. Leigh has described - relaxed, but under control.

[Victoria Leigh]

You said "the old RAD".....does that mean it is not done anymore? I hope not! :eek:

[Mel Johnson]

If it is still around, I haven't seen any students marked down on hands who wouldn't have been marked down for it anyway. I suspect that if it's still somewhere on the books it's "honoured more in the breach than in the observance." Older teachers may teach it, but recently certificated ones don't seem to.

[Dolphingirl]

What my teacher always has us do if our fingers get too spiky or curled or anything, is just drop them by our sides and shake them until they tingle a little. Then you stop, and then, without moving your hands at all, you put your arms wherever they are supposed to be. If you put them in first, it is easy to see what your hands look like. When I do that, it looks a little *too* soft, but I've watched it help other kids immensly! I hope this helps.

 

Dolphingirl

[Victoria Leigh]

Yes, Dolphingirl, that is what I do with them too. Actually I just hold their wrist joint very lightly and shake it out for them! They need to feel that joint move, not just the fingers.

[Guest Balletstar13]

I would do the same as dolphingirl.But relax the fingers and hands.You'll do fine trust me. ;)

Balletstar13