Preparatory Movements. 176. Perpendicular, i. e. straight up and down.

Starting with hand in normal position when dropped at side, do following things successively: Bend fingers toward palm; turn palm toward audience; bend wrist toward elbow; bend elbow toward shoulder; lift arm from shoulder and return it to where the elbow will be in position for the end of the gesture; bend elbow to bring forearm into position for the stroke of the gesture; then bend down wrist, at same time throwing out thumb and fingers. In this way the backs of fingers, which in opening gestures give the visible blow, seem to strike from the greatest possible distance.

Horizontal or Wave, i. e. a circular or straight movement across the body; often used for grace or variety with 1. O., h. O., front O., back O., s. O., and always with W. O.

Starting with hand in normal position when dropped at side, with palm toward body, bend fingers toward palm; bend elbow, bringing forearm and hand, with fingers curled, across the body; then, if making a simple gesture, move to the position for the stroke of the gesture, first, elbow, then forearm, and last, wrist, thumb and fingers; but if making a wave gesture, after bringing hand as high and far one side of shoulder as the stroke of gesture is to carry it the other side, first, while in front of body, throw wrist, thumb and fingers into position, then move

End of Gesture.

177. To answer requirements of beauty, the elbow, wrist and fingers, at end of gesture, should together form a compound curve, not a simple curve nor a straight line.

of

To answer requirements strength, the muscles of elbow, wrist and fingers, forming this compound curve, should be tense, not limp, and seem to have struck a strong blow with backs of fingers.

Low Opening, 1. O. Elbow very slightly bent, about four inches to one side, and also in front of hip; wrist well down, with palm visible to audience; thumb up and out from palm, but not held stiffly; fingers almost touching each other, the first pointing to the floor, the others very slightly curled.

Low O. Finger, 1. O. F. or 1. F., usually 1. f. F. Finger, elbow and wrist bent as in 1. O.; the first finger pointing straight to floor, with its side to audience; the other fingers curled as much as possible, with the thumb bent in at all its joints and folded over the curled fingers.

Low O. Fist, 1. 0. Ft. Elbow bent as in 1. O.; wrist bent toward elbow, thumb and fingers clasped and knuckles up. Do not make a weak fist.

High Opening, h. 0. Elbow bent and wrist weli down, as in 1. O.; the first finger pointing horizontally; the backs of the others on a line level with it, striking the air below them; but the thumb held up so the palm will be visible to audience.

High O. Finger, h. O. F. Elbow more bent, the forefinger pointing straight up, the others curled firmly against the palm, the knuckles to audience and the thumb out.

High O. Fist, h. O. Ft. Same as h. O. F., with the first finger and thumb bent in at every joint.

the hand back across the body to the side in a very free, generous arch, on a line exactly parallel to the floor, cutting the air with the side of the first finger, which points toward the floor, and constantly changing the elbow and wrist angles till the gesture ends at the side of body.

In preparing for O. gestures with both hands, B. O., the little fingers of the two hands frequently touch, but it is not customary to have them cross each other.

Middle, m.O., F. or Ft. Gesture at breast level.

Wave, Side, Front, Back Opening, w. O., s. O., f. O., bk. O. Same as high O., with the wrist bent down more and first finger pointing more directly to the floor. In bk. O. the fingers sometimes point outward, with all their fronts visible to audience.

Side O. Finger, s. F. Same as s. O., with first finger pointing, its side uppermost, and thumb folded over other fingers. When forcibly made, the arm may be straight at elbow.

Side O. Fist, s. O. Ft. Elbow bent, wrist, palm and knuckles up.

Preparatory Movements. 178. Perpendicular, i. e. straight up and down.

Starting with hand in normal position when dropped at side, do following things successively: Turn knuckles, with fingers curled on palm, toward audience; lift straight arm toward audience till at angle of forty-five degrees from body; then bend elbow up and wrist down, hiding palm from audience, carrying forearm up high enough to begin to descend for the end of gesture; then, as it descends, throw wrist up and fingers and thumb into position for the end of gesture. Last of all, in 1. C. or s. C., straighten the arm, at the same time turning the wrist about so that the fingers shall point away from the body; in h. C., throw wrist, fingers and thumb into position with a forward movement of the forearm, but leave the elbow still slightly bent.

Horizontal or Wave, i. e.

End of Gesture.

179. To be graceful, the elbow, wrist, thumb and fingers, at end of gesture, should form a compound curve, not a simple curve nor straight line. So in 1. C. and w. C. the elbow is straightened.

To seem strong, the muscles forming this compound curve should be tense, not limp, and appear to have struck a vigorous blow; in 1. C. and w. C. partly with the outside edge of little finger, and partly with tips of all the fingers; in h. C. or h. F. with either the fronts or backs of the fingers.

Low Closing, 1. C. or C. Arm straight. elbow unbent, wrist about eight inches to one side of the body, bent up; fingers parallel to floor and pointing outward, straight and touching each other; thumb down and visible to audience.

Low C. Finger, 1. C. F. Usually in front, knuckles to audience, elbow and wrist bent, first finger pointing straight to floor, others curled in and thumb out from palm.

Low C. Fist, 1. C. Ft. Same as

a circular or straight movement across the body; almost always used to some extent with 1. C., f. C., bk. C., 8. C., and always with w. C. Starting with the hand in normal position when dropped at side, with palm toward body and fingers curled, keeping wrist straight, bend elbow and bring hand up across the body (to opposite hip if preparing for a slight 1. C. or 1. w. C., to opposite breast for a strong 1. C., s. C. or w. C.); then bending up wrist and straightening fingers (point them parallel to floor if at hip; parallel to vest collar if at breast, i. e. in position of C. on br.) and dropping thumb so it can be seen by audience; move the hand back across the body (diagonally downward for a 1. C.; straight, i. e. parallel to floor, for a w. C.), cutting the air with the edge of the little finger, straightening the arm at elbow as soon as possible; and, last of all, with a sudden turn of the wrist, throwing the hand into position, with the fingers pointing away from body (parallel to floor in 1. C. and prone C., slightly or decidedly upward in w. C. or s. C.).

In preparing for C. gestures with both hands, B. C., whether at the waist or breast, the two hands frequently cross each other.

1. C., with fingers and thumb all folded in as much as possible.

High Closing, h. C. Elbow forward from body, on a level with shoulder, though to one side of it, and bent; wrist forward from elbow, and, as seen by audience, just above it; full hand to audience, with fingers pointing straight up and thumb out to one side of palm.

High C. Finger, h. C. F.or h. F. Same as h. C., with all fingers but the first pressed firmly against palm.

High C. Fist, h. C. Ft. Same as h. C., with fingers and thumb all folded in as much as possible.

Middle, m. C. Gesture at breast level.

Wave Closing, w. C. Including breast C., front C., side C., m. C., bk. C.

Breast Closing, br. C. Elbow bent, forearm parallel to floor; thumb pointing away from elbow and visi ble to audience: fingers straight, together and parallel to vest collar, and edge of little finger to audience.

Front, f. C. The same, with elbow slightly bent, and palm and all fingers and thumb visible to audience.

Side, s. C. Similar, but with arm straight and only side of first finger and thumb visible to audience, palm outward.

Breast, br.C. F. Same as br.C., with all fingers but first folded on palm.

Middle, m. or s. C. F. Same as br. C. F., with wrist unbent and F. pointing outward.

Wave, w. C. Ft. Same as w. C., with fingers and thumb all folded together.