Hands Hands and More Hands

Last year I posted something about a women's Latin hand styling called 'holding the egg.' Essentially, you pretend like you are holding said object gently between your thumb and middle finger, all while slowly rotating your wrist and moving your arm up and down. Oh, and while the other other arm/hand is doing the opposite. Gracefully. All at once. When I first started practicing I felt like I was doing that rub your stomach while patting your head thing.

I sought out Latin stylings because in general I don't like the ballroom ones. Nothing wrong with them, just not for me. This year I want to expand, so I started with a review of the Latin egg.



I also looked at belly dancing hand motions, which are remarkably similar, albeit a little more fluid.


  Then I found flamenco. I love love LOVE these stylings. They too remind me of both Latin and belly dancing, perhaps a bit more complicated.




What really blew me away was when I looked at Balinese hand movements, which I'd  never paid that much attention to because the head movements are so interesting. But look at the hands! They have that same, middle finger first, slowly undulating turn.

To me, this style is very feminine, artistic, and empowering. I like the fact that it seems to be cross cultural. And it's ancient, so perhaps some part of me is reaching way back there to touch the fingers of a long lost sister. Shiver.