Talk:Jazz hands

article issues
No sources (could not find many), should be marked for cleaned up. This is a legit article, because there are nearly 50,000 search results on Google.

--Psycho78m 02:31, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Found on a message board: "jazz hands are when you spread your fingers with your palms out and "twinkle" your fingers, and it's a force of habit for dancers trained in jazz." Also, this is a crucial plot point in the movie "Bring It On" it was mentioned, but if you think I'm watching that, you're probably nuts.

--Psycho78m 06:33, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
 * Like 3 years late on this, but that movie has Kirsten Dunst in it. Admit it, you'd watch A walk with Jesus or something if she were in it. At least I would. - M  ask?  21:24, 20 April 2007 (UTC)

'net phenom?
Other articles on things that have become internet phenomena, such as O RLY? and Badger Badger Badger, are extensive and fairly complete. I don't know if "jazz hands" is widespred enough to be a bona fide internet phenomena, but on LiveJournal I see dozens of userpics (avatars) with different pictures of people (and animals) doing the gesture, and the words "jazz hands" driving the joke home. And that's just the small sampling from users and communities that I pay attention to, so the thing could be way more widespread than I can see. I've never had anyone explain it to me as a Simpsons reference, so I have to wonder if there's another layer to this thing that isn't being covered here. Any research would be greatly appreciated. - Ugliness Man 21:02, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

I have only recently heard the Term "Jazz Hands", when it was referred to on BBC radio 4. I got the impression that it was a cartoon, camp and over the top gesture, which hetrosexual people that are ignorant of homosexual behaviour, would wrongly expect homosexual people to be doing all the time with giddy abandon.

Originated as a stylized gesture in early tap performances - think about vaudeville numbers with glove-wearing performers, fingers spread wide. So yeah, you might have just heard of it, but it's been around a for a bit. Magichands 21:06, 16 March 2007 (UTC)

Jazz hands vs. Spirit fingers
I got the impression that jazz hands is a rotation only in the elbow joint, and that spirit fingers is a rotation only in the fingers. Any thoughts? --Bensin 21:29, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Agreed they are not the same thing —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.82.9.54 (talk) 02:54, 17 December 2007 (UTC)

New picture
We should get a new picture, the old one is.... unencyclopedic, to say the least. Crowstar Vaseline-on-the-lens-Jitsu!fwends! 16:55, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
 * This is perhaps a bit "late", but I'll respond in the picture's defense by simply pointing out that the picture does indeed portray the subject, and is not far off at all in terms of basic "appropriateness." That said, it would probably be best complemented by another photo, one of an actual jazz/other performer doing a different variant of the gesture. $$\sim$$ Lenoxus " * " 02:20, 21 November 2007 (UTC)

Also, the title of the article is the plural form "jazz hands," and the picture's subject only has one hand extended with palm toward the audience--more appropriately, a "jazz hand." --Bobdc (talk) 13:43, 28 January 2013 (UTC)


 * The picture should be removed. 97.113.95.167 (talk) 05:43, 17 November 2021 (UTC)

that film
what was the name of the film about those cheerleaders, where that dance teacher guy does jazz hands at them? might that not be included in the bottom section of the article? 129.12.234.250 03:35, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Umm...meaning?
What exactly does the jazz hands gesture mean? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.140.218.179 (talk) 01:54, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

book refs
Surprised to see this article so wantonly tagged with "ref needed". Here are a couple of book refs:


 * 
 * 

These two are trivial, but reinforce:
 * 
 * 

At the moment, unable to really devote time to add them. If nobody else does, I'll revisit this sooner or later. Yngvarr (t) (c) 10:54, 9 September 2008 (UTC)

as seen on TV
Craig Ferguson constantly mentions jazz hands... AnonMoos (talk) 16:17, 15 March 2009 (UTC)

horrible photo
If that guy doesn't want his face in wikipedia, he shouldn't pose for a pic in it. It looks like he is either hiding from a police ID or just threw a pie in his own face. At very least, crop the sunnuva bits out of the photo, leaving just his arm and hand.

Someone take a picture where the model is on one knee, both hands are extended, and is looking forward and smiling, as in the end of an onstage musical number. A public domain photo from an expired old movie would do.

I can't model the pic because I'm ugly and so are all my friends. 67.162.165.126 (talk) 06:46, 28 June 2013 (UTC)


 * As mentioned above, this picture should simply be removed. 97.113.95.167 (talk) 05:45, 17 November 2021 (UTC)
 * ✅, replaced with File:AVROs Music Hall . George Holmes (danser), Bestanddeelnr 915-0465.jpg from Commons. Belbury (talk) 14:50, 17 July 2023 (UTC)

Other uses
I'm not convinced by the claim that the term 'jazz hands' is used humorously in the UK to refer to tremors experienced during delirium tremens, and the source cited does not appear reliable. I can't find any reliable sources that would support the suggestion.

Does this simply need to be tagged, or would it be best to delete the whole section? Gillis85 (talk) 22:42, 6 November 2013 (UTC)

Potential offensive term
It was mentioned recently to me that "Jazz Hands" came from Lithuanian-American entertainer Al Jolson, Blackface and Black and White Minstrel Show. It is clearly shown as a gesture in the video [Video|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPDn0EMPZK0]. Any thoughts? Claratee (talk) 11:47, 18 September 2020 (UTC)


 * You're overthinking this. "Jazz hands" is simply Broadway theater shtick. (Think classic Carol Channing.) It's as common as any other gesture in dance and stage performance. It doesn't carry any cultural baggage or negative connotation at all. 97.113.95.167 (talk) 05:49, 17 November 2021 (UTC)

To add to article
To add to this article (in order to make it more properly encyclopedic): the first time the term "jazz hands" appeared in print, television, film, or any other medium. 173.88.246.138 (talk) 21:22, 27 April 2022 (UTC)