Jazz hands

Dancer George Holmes performing jazz hands, 1963

Jazz hands in performance dance is the extension of a performer's hands with palms toward the audience and fingers splayed. This position is also referred to as webbing. It is commonly associated with especially exuberant types of performance such as musicals, cheerleading, show choir, revue, and especially jazz dance shows.[1] In cheerleading, the position with arms outstretched and fingers wiggling up and down is sometimes referred to as spirit fingers[2] or jazz fingers.[citation needed] Depending on the performance venue, both gestures can be associated with campiness.[3]

One of the biggest proponents of jazz hands was Bob Fosse, who incorporated them in nearly all of his Broadway and film musical choreography. The best example of this is the opening musical number of Pippin, "Magic to Do", in which still, illuminated jazz hands are the first thing the audience sees.

  1. ^ Grundhauser, Eric (19 August 2016). "The Fabulous History of JAZZ HANDS!". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  2. ^ "What are Spirit Fingers?". Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  3. ^ Zimmerman, Karla and Nate Cavalieri (2008). Chicago. Lonely Planet. p. 35.