Visualizing a Balloon for Graceful Hand Positions
Visualizing a Balloon for Graceful Hand Positions

Gymnastics/Dance: Mental Images for Graceful Hand Motions

Dick Moss, Editor

An effective way to elicit a particular movement from your dancers is to ask them to visualize a particular image and move accordingly. This is also effective for gymnasts who want to improve the quality of their floor routines.

The following mental images will evoke expressive hand gestures from your dormant Baryshnikovs.

1. Balloon Image
Instruct your students to imagine their hands are resting on balloons floating in the air. Their hands and wrists will assume a relaxed, graceful position.

2. Water Through Fingers
To maintain expressive finger positions, instruct your students to imagine they are moving their hands through
water — they should feel as if water is actually passing between their fingers. This will elicit a pleasing separation of the fingers.

References
1. Gemma Coles, Head Over Heels About Gymnastics: Floor Skills [Kindle Edition], Head Over Heels, 2013.
2. Eric Frankli, Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance, Human Kinetics Publishers, 1996.



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