Advanced
Arm Wave
Advanced Level
Full mastery — nuance, personal expression, and artistry
A wave that travels through the arm from shoulder to fingertips (or reverse) — a styling element that extends body movement into the extremities.
Tips
- •Practice in front of a mirror, watching the wave travel joint by joint. If any joint is getting skipped, practice that transition specifically
- •Think of your arm as a garden hose being flicked — the whip travels from the handle to the end
- •Practice arm waves while watching TV — the more automatic the movement, the more naturally it appears in your dancing
Common mistakes
- •Moving the whole arm at once instead of sequentially — the wave must pass through each joint separately
- •Rigid, straight-arm waves — keep a natural bend in the elbow and relaxation in the wrist
- •Over-using arm waves — they're accents and styling, not constant movement
- •Forgetting the hand and fingers — the wave should travel all the way to the fingertips with intention
Practice drill
Right arm extended to the side. Wave from shoulder to fingertips in 4 counts. Wave from fingertips to shoulder in 4 counts. Repeat 8 times. Switch to left arm. Then: simultaneous waves, both arms, shoulder to fingertips. Then reverse. Then alternate: right arm waves to fingertips while left arm waves to shoulder. This is hard — it's like patting your head and rubbing your stomach. Five minutes total.