Objective: Hands are primal/pivotal in my work. For me, the soul’s expression is placed in the hands. Hands are connectors to others. Hands are seismographs to the world. Hands are navigators to the unknown.

This score is an invitation for the dancer to slow down and find a gentle entryway into my work.

Material needed:
A quiet space. Optional: a partner to hold space and time for you.

Instructions:
1. Centering (2-5 minutes)
Begin by standing or sitting comfortably. Allow your right hand to rest gently in your lap or by your side.
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, tuning into the sensations in your body and in your right arm.
Feel the space behind you. Feel the space equally in front of you.
Listen to the sounds that surround you. Try to listen as far as possible. Keep listening throughout your movement exploration.

2. Movement (5 minutes):
Slowly lift your right hand towards ear level. Take your time. Begin with gentle, small movements, exploring the range of motion. Gradually incorporate finger movements, stretching and spiraling your arm, observing how the little finger of your hand connects to your lower back.

3. Exploration of movement qualities (5-10 minutes):
Experiment with different movement qualities:
Fluid: Let your hand flow smoothly through the air. If you are moving slowly, move even slower.
Staccato: Make quick, sharp, interrupted movements. If you are moving sharply, pause for a moment. Wait for the next movement choice to arise.
Suspended: Hold your hand in a position for a few moments, feeling the weight and energy. Don’t move with your first impulse, rather with the second one.
Legato: Allow yourself to feel the thickness of the air around your hand. Find the thickness in your movement, go even slower. Keep observing.
Experiment with transitions between the different movement qualities, fluid, legato, staccato, legato, suspended and so on. By observing you instantly begin composing. Making choices. Remember, less is more. Pause. Continue. Pause.

4. Spatial awareness (5 minutes):
Move your right hand through different levels and directions in the space around you.
Consider the relationship of your hand to the surrounding space. How does it feel to occupy different areas? Remember the movement qualities; if you are slow go slower, if you are fast go faster, if you pause, pause longer. Wait. Surprise yourself. Try the opposite of what feels comfortable. Pause. Ponder.

5. Reflection (5 minutes):
Conclude the score by resting your right hand in your lap or on your side. Allow for a moment of stillness before ending. Take a moment to breathe deeply and reflect on the sensations and experiences of the movement of this dance. Remember the journey your hand made. The ephemeral lines in space it created. The sounding of this dance. Consider how focusing on just one hand gave you the time to activate the observer in you and allowed space for you to compose in the moment. Remember, the mind is a muscle, and you can train your ability to observe and curve new ways of moving, perceiving and connecting to your environment. Connecting to the world.

When I share this score with the dancer, I work in layers. I return to the score by adding new information connected to the present moment and its potential, connected to the dancer by acknowledging and strengthening their idiosyncratic and authentic potential.

Movement Score by Alexandra Waierstall, 2003-2025
Inspired by Daniel Lepkoff