Shen Yun Performing Arts
  • Om Shen Yun
    The Performance
    Er Shen Yun nytt for deg?
    Ni egenskaper ved Shen Yun
    Klassisk kinesisk dans
    Symfoniorkester
    Factsheet
    The Company
    Vår historie
    Life at Shen Yun
    Utfordringer vi står ovenfor
  • Artistene
  • Videoer
  • Siste nytt
    Siste nytt
    Nyheter
    Blog
    I media
  • Pressemeldinger
  • Ofte stilte spørsmål
  • Publikums reaksjoner
  • Lær mer Nyhetsbrev Søk
    Norsk
  • English
  • 中文正體
  • 中文简体
  • 日本語
  • 한국어
  • Česky
  • Deutsch
  • Español
  • Français
  • Indonesia
  • Italiano
  • Nederlands
  • Polski
  • Português
  • Latviski
  • Pусский
  • Română
  • Svenska
  • Việt
  • Melayu
  • עברית
  • Tickets & Info
    Meny
    Shen Yun Logo
    Billetter
    Siste nytt
    Meny
    • Om Shen Yun
      • Er Shen Yun nytt for deg? Ni egenskaper ved Shen Yun Vår historie Life at Shen Yun Shen Yun Factsheet Utfordringer vi står ovenfor Klassisk kinesisk dans Symfoniorkester
    • Artistene
    • Videoer
    • Siste nytt
      • Siste nytt Nyheter Blog I media
    • Pressemeldinger
    • Ofte stilte spørsmål
    • Publikums reaksjoner
    Shen Yun 9 Characteristics Link Image

    What Makes Us Unique?

    DISCOVER THE 9 CHARACTERISTICS
    • Lær mer
    • Nyhetsbrev
    • Søk
    Språk
    • English
    • 中文正體
    • 中文简体
    • 日本語
    • 한국어
    • Česky
    • Deutsch
    • Español
    • Français
    • Indonesia
    • Italiano
    • Nederlands
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Latviski
    • Pусский
    • Română
    • Svenska
    • Việt
    • Melayu
    • 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!

    • Artist Perspectives
    • Klassisk kinesisk dans
    • Dance Techniques
    • Flowers
    Betty Thumb

    Betty Wang

    Contributing writer

    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
    Most Popular
    • All
    • Nyheter
    • Blog
    Vis mer
    Vis mer
    Vis mer

    Tags

    • Artist Perspectives
    • Klassisk kinesisk dans
    • 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.”

    Om oss
  • Er Shen Yun nytt for deg?
  • Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra
  • Life at Shen Yun
  • Shen Yun Factsheet
  • Utfordringer vi står ovenfor
  • Shen Yun & Spirituality
  • Møt artistene
  • Ofte stilte spørsmål
  • Videoer
  • Latest
  • Om Shen Yun
  • The Artists
  • Reviews
  • I media
  • Siste nytt
  • Featured
  • Nyheter
  • Blog
  • Reviews
  • I media
  • Lær mer
  • Chinese Dance
  • Music
  • Vocal Music
  • Shen Yun Costumes
  • Digital Projection
  • Shen Yun Props
  • Stories and History
  • Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
  • Interact with us:
    Follow Us on Gan Jing World
    Sign Our Guestbook
    Get to Know More about Shen Yun
    on Our Streaming Platform
    Arts Proficiency Assessment Center
    Keepsakes and Premium Collections
    Inspired by Shen Yun
    Artist Fashion
    Shen Yun Performing Arts offisielle nettside Copyright ©2025 Shen Yun Performing Arts. Alle rettigheter forbeholdes.
    Kontakt oss Brukervilkår Personvern Sidekart