Shop:
Shen Yun Creations
Artist Fashion
Shen Yun Collections
Shen Yun Performing Arts
  • The Performance
    9 Characteristics of Shen Yun
    Classical Chinese Dance
  • The Company
    Our Story
    Artists
    Challenges We Face
    About Shen Yun
    Performing Arts
    Symphony Orchestra
    Press Releases
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Blog
  • 5,000 Years
    Chinese Dance
    Music
    Vocal Music
    Shen Yun Costumes
    Digital Projection
    Shen Yun Props
    Stories and History
    Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
  • FAQ
  • Newsletter Support Employment Search
    English
  • 中文正體
  • 中文简体
  • 日本語
  • 한국어
  • Česky
  • Deutsch
  • Español
  • Français
  • Indonesia
  • Italiano
  • Nederlands
  • Polski
  • Português
  • Pусский
  • Svenska
  • Việt
  • עברית
  • Buy Tickets What's New
    Menu
    Shen Yun Logo
    Tickets
    What’s New
    Menu
    • The Performance
      • 9 Characteristics of Shen Yun
      • Classical Chinese Dance
    • The Company
      • The Company
      • Our Story
      • Artists
      • Challenges We Face
      • About Shen Yun
        Performing Arts
      • Symphony Orchestra
      • Press Releases
    • Videos
    • Reviews
    • News
    • Blog
    • 5,000 Years
      • 5,000 Years
      • Chinese Dance
      • Music
      • Vocal Music
      • Shen Yun Costumes
      • Digital Projection
      • Shen Yun Props
      • Stories and History
      • Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
    • FAQ
    • Shop
      • Shen Yun Creations
      • Artist Fashion
      • Shen Yun Gift Shop
    Shen Yun 9 Characteristics Link Image

    What Makes Us Unique?

    DISCOVER THE 9 CHARACTERISTICS
    • Employment
    • Support
    • Subscribe
    • Search
    Language
    • 中文正體
    • 中文简体
    • 日本語
    • 한국어
    • Česky
    • Deutsch
    • Español
    • Français
    • Indonesia
    • Italiano
    • Nederlands
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Pусский
    • Svenska
    • Việt
    • עברית
      Blog
      Back Blog > Handy-Dandy Orchids

    Handy-Dandy Orchids

    Wolverine has retractable claws. Spiderman shoots webs from his wrists. Iron Man’s hands are equipped with repulsor rays. And Shen Yun’s female dancers? We have orchid palms.  

    Lesson One

    I can still recall my first dance studio with perfect clarity. The piney smell of the long wooden barres. The rows of quaint oriental windows, tempting us with views of sunshine in the summer and snowflakes in winter. And the giant floor-to-ceiling mirrors— the very ones through which I used to gaze skeptically at my younger, awkward-er self.

    Naive and uncertain, I didn’t know what to expect from this whole new world. But curiosity and fascination quickly erased any trace of reluctance in me. I was crossing the threshold into 5,000 years of marvelous stories and legends, history, literature, art, and knowledge of every pursuit. (Not to mention some very good food to boot.)

    But before delving into any of this, lesson one was... “The very definition of feminine grace,” as our teacher called it. And given that Chinese people have long considered orchids (蘭花 lan hua) a symbol of elegance, it all makes sense.

    The noble orchid lives deep within China’s mountainous valleys. Its delicate blossoms and ambrosial perfumes spread beauty and pleasure wherever it takes root. Countless generations have seen and loved the gentle orchid, and lifted their brush pens in praise. Even the eminent Confucius himself was among the spellbound crowd.  

    Wouldn’t you agree then, that an orchid makes the perfect companion for a dancing maiden’s hand?

    ‘Orchid Palms’ (lan hua zhang)

    With its great versatility, classical Chinese dance is able to convey just about anything imaginable. So forming the hands into a pair of orchids is no preposterous feat.

    This is how I remember “Orchid Palm 101”:

    Start with your hand relaxed but not lax. Press the straightened middle finger and thumb close toward each other. The other fingers should edge in toward the middle finger laterally, but not all on one plane. This brings out different layers of the orchid's petals. Use a dab of force and extend your finger digits to conjure a fresh, blooming flower.

    Your hands must retain this form while dancing, but not to a point of rigidity. Don’t forget: flowers are living things and must breathe and dance as well!

    Always at Hand

    As a tiny tot in school, one of the first things I learned was the English alphabet. I still use that lesson 365 days a year. Likewise, not a day goes by now that I don't need my first dance lesson, my orchid palms, constantly by my side.

    I’ll be sharing a few more classical Chinese dance 101’s in future blogs, so see you then!

    Betty Thumb

    Betty Wang

    Dancer

    View all posts

    August 21, 2014

    RELATED CONTENT
    • Plum Thumb
      Petal Power
    Comments
    verification

    Previous

    Audioblog: Cleaning Up After the Qins

    Next

    Symphony Concert Countdown
    Most Recent
    • Parallel Figures BONUS: Ye Xian and Cinderella
    • Famous Parallel Figures 10/10: Marco Polo and Zhang Qian
    • Being Daddy on the Road
    • Famous Parallel Figures 9/10: Leonardo da Vinci and Lu Ban
    • Famous Parallel Figures 8/10: Wang Zhaojun and Helen of Troy
    Most Popular
    • All
    • News
    • Blog
  • 1 Artist Spotlight: Elsie Shi
  • 2 Artist Spotlight: Chad Chen
  • 3 Artist Spotlight: Angelia Wang
  • 4 Photos from Tour: Exploring the Swiss Alps
  • 5 Artist Spotlight: Roy Chen
  • 6 Photos from Tour: Sunshine and Rainbows
  • 7 Photos from Tour: Down Under and Across the Pond
  • 8 Q&A with Dancer Seongho Cha
  • 9 Photos from Tour: From Seaside to Stage
  • 10 Q&A with Soprano Rachael Bastick
  • Show More
  • 1 Artist Spotlight: Elsie Shi
  • 2 Artist Spotlight: Chad Chen
  • 3 Artist Spotlight: Angelia Wang
  • 4 Photos from Tour: Exploring the Swiss Alps
  • 5 Artist Spotlight: Roy Chen
  • 6 Photos from Tour: Sunshine and Rainbows
  • 7 Photos from Tour: Down Under and Across the Pond
  • 8 Q&A with Dancer Seongho Cha
  • 9 Photos from Tour: From Seaside to Stage
  • 10 Q&A with Soprano Rachael Bastick
  • Show More
    Show More

    Tags

    • Artist Perspectives
    • Classical Chinese Dance
    • Dance Techniques
    • Flowers
      Shen Yun logo golden
      Shen Yun logo golden

      Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world's premier classical Chinese dance and music company, established in New York in 2006. It performs classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dance, and story-based dance, with orchestral accompaniment and solo performers. For 5,000 years, divine culture flourished in the land of China. Through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is reviving this glorious culture. Shen Yun, or 神韻, can be translated as: “The beauty of divine beings dancing.”

      About
    • Shen Yun Performing Arts
    • Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra
    • Challenges We Face
    • Shen Yun & Spirituality
    • Meet the Artists
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Press Releases
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Videos
    • Latest & Featured
    • About Shen Yun
    • Meet the Artists
    • Reviews
    • News & Blog
    • News & Reviews
    • Featured
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Explore
    • Chinese Dance
    • Music
    • Vocal Music
    • Shen Yun Costumes
    • Digital Projection
    • Shen Yun Props
    • Stories and History
    • Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
    • Shen Yun Creations
      Artist Fashion
      Shen Yun Collections
      Friends of Shen Yun
      Tian Yin Music Store
      Guestbook
    • Support
    • Subscribe
    Shen Yun Performing Arts Official Website Artist Fashion Shen Yun Collections Friends of Shen Yun Copyright ©2022 Shen Yun Performing Arts. All Rights Reserved.
    Contact us Terms Privacy Site map