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| Crossed arms mean love – but be careful – make those hands into fists and you may be saying something completely different! |
My students and I had a conversation about ballet miming this week: Did you know dancers are storytellers as well as actors and actresses too?
Ballerinas and ballet dancers even have their own special hand gestures to tell stories – sort of like ballet sign language!
You may already know some common gestures:
– Both hands to the heart for “love”
– Hand cupped by ear for “hear”
– Bowing or curtseying to show loyalty
– Strong motions with fists to show anger
Then there are some you might not be as familiar with:
– Tapping the forehead twice for “princess” and three times for “king” or “queen”
– Crossed hands with fists for “death”
– And “dance” is said by circling your arms overhead in 5th position
Here are some links for more ballet mime:
Learn the conversation between the Swan Queen and the prince from Swan Lake with this fun video from The Royal Ballet:
The Dance Buzz 