I did not play the piano well, but I managed to look as if I might. I encouraged my dance students to sit in a darkened room along with a bare, unfrosted light globe and practice hand motions while listening to music. The effect can be magical. Looking at random hand motions in the mirror cannot compare to the fluid, stylistic movements that are possible when all other considerations are isolated away from the moment. I refer to distractions reflected in the mirror of colors and patterns, facial expressions, broken nails or mind games that encroach upon the meditation of smooth, continuous movement of positive and negative space.
Few dancers learn to create movements that are composed of both the positive and negative elements.
When one is forced to see the negative spaces between moving shadows, one is drawn naturally into the shape of the light, which is often perceived as having a bit more reality than unoccupied air space. Next, stop looking at your hands and begin to watch the space between your two hands manipulating that empty area into pleasing shapes that are surrounded by your hands. Last, switch on your bare, unfrosted, light globe and dance your positive and negative shadow hands on the wall. Dance is body language, and you must punctuate dance with your hands just as you might enhance your speech with your hands. In the home of my childhood, it was considered rude to point and gesticulate.