Lotus Hands

Mouse

New member
I saw a snippet of a DVD a few weeks ago (Keti Sharif's Astrobelly) and in one part she does lotus hands. It was really quick and over in a flash, but I was wondering how it was done as I thought it looked fantastic. I've done a bit of reading on the net and found a few "how to's" but I seem to get lost half way through the move - where they say to point the hands downwards.

Can anyone tell me in a really basic way how to do this move?

Thanks!
Mouse
 

Azeeza

New member
Hi Mouse:

You basically twist your hands while twisting your wrists at the same time.

Begin with insides of wrists together, twist wrists towards outside (away from you) and let right hand lead and left hand follows (right goes down and around, not under, and then left follows, never under though).

Then, bring right hand and wrist back up and left follows. You will have the backs of the hands together before being at the beginning again.

You do have to move your arms for this move too.

Alexandra King's video shows how it is done. The name of that video is volume 3 & 4, I believe. It's the Persian dance one. She gives excellent direction and visuals.

I hope that helps. It's hard to explain, but if you see it, it's quite easy to master.

Azeeza
 

elly-beth

New member
I know this may lead you off track but you get really good wrist control and dexterity by practising rotating stick in a figure eight.....it will teach excellent grace in the hands and wrists if you do that.... great description on hoe to do lotus hands ....
 

Mouse

New member
hands, wrists and arms are something I want to work on, so I will definitely give that a shot, thanks for the tip elly-beth!
 

Zorba

"The Veiled Male"
I've had any number of teachers try to show me how to do lotus hands, without success - but Alexandra King was the one who succeeded. In about 15 seconds.

So I'd assume her video (which I haven't seen) would do the same!

Now I just need to smooth 'em out!
 

alosha

New member
when i was figuring out how to do it i videotaped myself so i could see what it looked like. i got it in about 20 minutes
 

gisela

Super Moderator
Is it the indian move? I learnt it in a bollywood class if it's the one. Have never seen it used in bellydance though...
 

Mya

New member
There is a move in indian dance where the hands symbolise a lotus (padma), but i don't think that's what you guys are talking about here - at least not the indian move that I know as the lotus.

I asked a friend who does Odissi and she identified this for me as lotus:

odissi vilas - Mudra Details

I also know of a one-handed lotus that i'd "learnt" from another indian dancer, but i don't know what her style was so i can't say for sure.

Both are different from the move that i think you're talking about.
 

gisela

Super Moderator
The one Mya showed a picture of is not was I was thinking of. The one I learnt involves twisting the wrists together etc. Sounds very much like the one described first. I just was unsure as I have a really hard time seeing it in bellydance. I just can't make it fit in there in my head. Maybe it depends on the style you do.
 

alosha

New member
The one Mya showed a picture of is not was I was thinking of. The one I learnt involves twisting the wrists together etc. Sounds very much like the one described first. I just was unsure as I have a really hard time seeing it in bellydance. I just can't make it fit in there in my head. Maybe it depends on the style you do.

i see it more in tribal fusion than in cab i think.
 

gisela

Super Moderator
Yes that's the one. I did it both in bollywood class and Kathak class I think. We only twisted once and then the hands went down to chest height with hands meeting at the fingertips, forming a horizontal line from elbow to elbow. I guess in tribal fusion it's more "appropriate" as they mix all kinds of stuff in there.
 

alosha

New member
pretty much. but i do know that since i've been drilling it, my forearms are significantly stronger.
 
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