Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Chironomia or Chirologia

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Ballet d'Action Carmargo
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Chironomia refers to gestures of the hand, but in fact is broader than hand gestures. Chironomia extended to idea of rhetoric muette or rhetoric tacens by generalizing gestures to become what we now refer to as pantomime. Feuillet notation becomes a notation to describe silent, non-textual gestures. Ballet dancing, augmented by pantomime, becomes a very powerful way to extend gestures into a language. Genaro Magri, Gasparo Angiolini, John Weaver and Jean-Georges Noverre faced a great deal of opposition, but their ideas of using the expressive but silent gestures of chironomia or pantomime in dance prevailed.

The basis of chironomia is that human expressions of emotions is universal. The death of a loved one is accompanied by sadness, no matter what society; these emotions are universal. There are gestures which may then be used to signify these emotions, and these gestures may be used as a language. It is possible (likely) that these gestures are society-specific, but that is relatively minor. (The chironomia can vary from one society to the next, but such a chironomic language of gestures can be constructed.) To get an idea of the chironomia used in western Europe circa the Baroque, a short description will be given. However, there is a bigger problem to be settled.

Feuillet notation (as an example) was extended as a language or notation to codify the eloquence muette found in dance. Thus Feuillet notation deals with silent gestures found in ballet: toe, ankle, knee, leg, torso, finger, hand, wrist, elbow, arm, head, even chapeau movement. However, chironomia (pantomime) also extends emotional expression, dealing with the silent expression of emotions associated with hand, arm, foot, etc. Thus ambiguity exists (that is the way of life)! Thus, in dance, chironomia must be used to extend the motion of the body that does not conflict with dance steps, motion of the arms in dance, etc. A choice presents itself to the dancer: emphasize dance (steps) or emphasize emotional pantomime. Sometimes dance takes precedence, sometimes the pantomime of emotions takes precedence. The artist makes this choice, the audience decides if the artist was the master. Magri was well aware that "eloquence" in dance does NOT necessarily mean beauty; rather, inelegant dance might emphasize the humor found in burlesque dance. This line of reasoning is very similar to the attacks made later on the great pictoral artist, Thomas Eakins. Must art be about beauty? Whose concept of beauty? Can the art that one person finds beautiful, be art, but not beautiful from someone else's viewpoint? Is art only beautiful if it focuses upon the wealthy or powerful, or can art be beautiful if it focuses upon poor, hard working people? What is "beautiful" cannot be decided by any one class (even if a Plato or an Aristotle dissents).

An abbreviated description of chironomia will be provided.

We all should have been exposed to chironomia in the forms found in silent films of the early twentieth century, or the master of pantomime, Marcel Marceau. However, we seek an idea of the theoretical basis of the system of chironomia. Our source is "A Pratical Treatise on Gesture: Chiefly Abstracted From Austin's Cironomia. Adapted To The Use Of Students, And Arranged According To The Method Of Instruction In Harvard University", by Jonathan Barber.

Feet and Lower Limbs
A series of figures are provided to explain foot and leg positions
First Position of Right Foot, R1 (Fig. 1): moderate
Second Position of Right Foot, R2 (Fig. 2): moderate
First Position of Left Foot, L1 (Fig. 3): moderate
Second Position of Left Foot, L2 (Fig. 4): moderate
Extended Right Foot (Fig. 5): retiring in alarm
Extended Right Foot (Fig. 6): advancing in boldness
See Plate I: Figure 1 through Figure 8.

notation: advance, retire, traverse, cross (Fig. 7 and Fig. 8)

Foot Faults
"Fault 1" Weight equally on both feet (change is inconvenient).
"Fault 2" Not turning the toes outward.
"Fault 3" Feet too close together (instability).
"Fault 4" Feet are too far apart (swaggering air).
"Fault 5" Not advancing or retreating properly (toes not turned outward, steps at proper distance).
"Fault 6" Steps too long or too short.
"Fault 7" Too frequent a change of position (implies anxiety).
"Fault 8" Maintaining the same position for too long a period of time.
"Fault 9" Not keeping the leg of the gesture foot straight, and not gently bending the other leg.

Head, Eyes, Shoulders, Trunk
Eye Directions Head Positions
I Inclined F Forwards
E Erect A Averted
AS Assenting D Downwards
DN Denying U Upwards
TS Tossing R Around
S Aside V Vacuity

Eye and Head Faults
"Fault 1" Directing the head and eyes away from the audience.
"Fault 2" Turning the head too rapidly, or in a jerking motion.
"Fault 3" Any excessive or unnatural action of the countenance.
"Fault 4" Elevating and retracting the head too much (air of arrogance).

Trunk
"Fault 1" A constant inclination of the body to one side, which conveys a notion of distress.

Positions, Motions, and Elevation of the Arms
"Arm raised: facing the dancer" and Arm rotated: looking vertically down on the dancer
See Figure 10 and Figure 11.

"Various arm motions defined within a shere"
See Figure 12.

Positions and Motions of the Hands and Arms

First Class of Positions
"n" signifies the natural state of the fingers and hands.
"x" signifies the excited state of the fingers and hands: fingers extended and separated.
"c" signifies the clenched fist.
"i" signifies pointing with the index finger (all other fingers contracted) to discriminate or point out (for scorn).
"g" signifies grasping.

Second Class of Positions: palm
"p" signifies prone (palm turned downwards).
"s" signifies supine (palm turned fully upwards).
"n" signifies inwards (palm turned towards the breast, thumb erect).
"o" signifies outwards (palm turned from the body, thumb downward).
"v" signifies vertical (plane of palm perpendicular to the horizon, fingers pointing upwards).

Third Class of Positions: both hands together "B" signifies both hands
"ap" signifies applied (palms pressed together, fingers and thumbs line up).
"cl" signifies clasped (when fingers of one hand are inserted between fingers of the other hand, one thumb overlapping the other).
"cr" signifies crossed (when one hand is laid across the other on the breast).
"fl" signifies folded (when the fingers of one hand at the second joint are all laid between the thumb and forefinger of the other, the thumbs crossing each other.)
"in" signifies inclosed (when the back of one hand, slightly bent, is received in the palm of the other, the thumbs crossing each other.)
"tc" signifies touching (when the points of the thumb and fingers of each hand are brought lightly into contact.)
"wr" signifies wringing (when both hands are first clasped together and elevated, then depressed and separated at the wrists without disengaging the fingers.)
"en" signifies enumerating (when the index finger of the right hand is laid successively upon the index finger then the different fingers of the left.)

Fourth Class of Positions: when the hands touch other parts of the body: B (breast); E (eyes); L (lips); F (forehead), C (chin); motions (direction and manner of moving), force of motion
direction
"a" signifies ascending.
"d" signifies descending.
"r" signifies to the right.
"l" signifies to the left.
"f" signifies forwards.
"b" signifies backwards.
manner
"n" signifies noting (when the hand is drawn back, raised, then advanced and with a gentle stroke depressed.)
"p" signifies pushing (when the arm is first retracted, then thrust forward in the direction the hand points.)
"w" signifies waving (when fingers point down, then with a quick motion of elbow and wrist point up.)
"fl" signifies the flourish (a circular movement over the head.)
"sw" signifies the sweep (a curved movement from one shoulder, with increasing velocity during which the hand switches from supine to vertical [or vertical to supine].)
"bk" signifies beckoning (when with forefinger or whole hand, palm turned inwards, a motion is made towards the breast.)
"rp" signifies repressing ([opposite of beckoning]: when with forefinger or whole hand, palm turned outwards, a motion is made away from the breast.)
"ad" signifies advancing (when the hand is moved downwards and backwards, then moved forwards and raised to horizontal, while a step is made in advance to aid action of arm and hand.)
"sp" signifies springing (when the hand gesture is almost finished, using the wrist quickly, the hand gesture suddenly flies upwards.)
"st" signifies striking (when the forearm and hand descend rapidly with force.)
"rc" signifies recoiling (when the after a gesture such as striking, the arm and hand return back to their original position.)
"th" signifies throwing (when the arm due to the gesture, is flung in the direction of the addressing person.)
"cl" signifies clinching (when the hand forms a fist, any arm position signifies violence, threats, etc.)
"ll" signifies collecting (when the arm from any extended position sweeps inward.)
"sh" signifies shaking (when any unsteady motion is made by arm with hand.)
"pr" signifies pressing (when the hand is forcibly pressed anywhere on the body where the hand was previously placed.)

Faults to Avoid Concerning Arm and Hand Gestures
Hand Faults
"Fault 1" hand placed edgewise (not visible).
"Fault 2" palm hollowed (not visible).
"Fault 3" flat hand (fingers held together), or hand in supine position.
"Fault 4" little finger held downward (looks affected).
"Fault 5" too frequent a use of index finger: to be used only for discriminating (pointing).
"Fault 6" moving fingers (while talking, for example).
"Fault 7" a trembling hand, or fingers pointing in strange directions is distracting.
"Fault 8" keeping fingers separated.
"Fault 9" hand motions should be coordinated to move with (other body movements and music).
"Fault 10" following hand movements with the eye (feedback to adjusting gestures).
Arm Faults
"Fault 1" Not extending the arm with freedom, instead, the arm is confined near the side and in doing so, is too angular at the elbow.
"Fault 2" Holding the arm in too rigid a manner.
"Fault 3" Action of the arm is confined to a single line, preventing no observable change of gesture.
"Fault 4" Too frequent use of horizontal arm swing. This gesture is to be used only for denial or rejection.
"Fault 5" Gestures MUST terminate: moving from gesture to gesture, it is not clear where these gestures end and start a new gesture.
"Fault 6" Transitions between gestures can be by sweeps so extensive, that any continuity between gestures is lost. Such flourishes are meaningless.
"Fault 7" Too free a use of the left hand. The right hand should be the principal gesture hand.
"Fault 8" Repeatedly raising the hand or both hands suddenly, from the side, to effect a gesture, then letting the hands drop to the sides. After a hand gesture is performed, hands should remain where they are at the end of the gesture.
"Fault 9" At all times, avoid twitching and jerking gestures.
"Fault 10" ALL arm sweeps should be outward from the shoulder, unless it is an inward arm sweep ending with the hand on the forehead, eyes, breast, etc. or into another gesture.
"Fault 11" Avoid partially concealing the contenance by a gesture crossing the face.

Although much has been omitted, a sufficient amount of information has been included so that chironomia may now be explained. The book by Barber states (p. 26) that "The most complicated gestures are those which relate to the combined positions and motions of arms and hands. These, however, are expressed with sufficient accuracy in all their movements by four or fewer symbolic leters for each movement." As an example:

p h f d or s e q n
position of hand, elevation of arm, transverse situation of the arm, force of the gesture, thus p h f d means prone, horizontal, forward, descending meaning:
Hand in prone position; arm at horizontal elevation; the arm in the transverse forward direction; descending (arriving at the final position, the arm descended from a higher elevation).
s e q n means supine, elevated, oblique, noting.

p h q – p d b describes (by convention), first the right hand and right arm, the second set after the dash representing the left hand and left arm. In this example, right hand: prone, horizontal, oblique; left hand: prone, downwards, backwards. Also by convention, p h q – is the right hand alone; – p d b is the left hand alone. Head and eyes are marked with upper-case letters, separated by hand and arm gestures (countenance has priority over hand and arm gestures). A line is used below head/eye hands/arms gestures, and below this line are gestures for feet and steps. The gestures for feet and steps are under the word (letters) describing the head/eye or hands/arms gestures positioned when the gestures are to take place. This chironomic language of gestures, is placed above words sung or spoken.

Two examples appear below.

Chironomia Examples

It has been pointed out that instruction books about pantomime (chironomia) were effectively not used in ballet d'action. The reason for this is that chironomia required original, creative gestures, and any "instruction book" was inherently uncreative. 1

Another example of the gestures used in pantomime comes from one of the early developers of ballet d'action, John Weaver. Rather than using chironomia, a "vocabulary" of gestures was compiled and used. 2 Here one can find gestures and actions of "... Hands, Fingers, Legs and Feet, without making use of the tongue." and "... observing Mens Natures, and assimilating their Manners, and imitating all things with gesture; for Nature assign'd each Motion of the Mind its proper Gesticulation and Countenance, as well as Tone ..."
Examples then follow of such gestures:
  1. ADMIRATION Raising up of the right Hand, Palm turn'd upwards, the Fingers clos'd; and in one Motion the Wrist turn'd round and the Fingers spread; the Body reclining, and Eyes fix'd on the Object.
  2. ASTONISHMENT Both Hands are thrown up towards the Skies; the Eyes also lifted up, and the Body cast backwards.
  3. JEALOUSY Arms suspended, or a particular pointing the middle Finger to the Eye; by an irresolute Movement throughout the Scene, and a Thoughtfulness of Contenance.
  4. UPBRAIDING The Arms thrown forwards; the Palm of the Hands turn'd outward; the Fingers open, and the Elbows turn'd inward to the Brest.
  5. ANGER The left Hand struck suddenly with the right, and sometimes against the Brest.
  6. THREATS Raising the Hand, and shaking the bended Fist, knitting the Brow, biting the Nails; and catching back the Breath.
  7. POWER The Arm, with impetuous Agitation, directed forwards to the Person, with an awful Look.
  8. IMPATIENCE Smiting the Thigh, or Brest with the Hand.
  9. INDIGNATION Applying the Hand passionately to the Forehead; or by steping back the right Foot, leaning the Body quite backward, the Arms extended, Palms clos'd, and Hands thrown quite back; the Head cast back, and the Eyes fix'd upwards.
  10. COQUETRY Affected Airs, given herself throughout the whole Dance.
  11. NEGLECT Scornful turning the Neck, the flirting outward the back of the right Hand, with a Turn of the Wrist.
  12. CONTEMPT Scornful Smiles, forbidding Looks; tossing of the Head; filliping of the Fingers, and avoiding the Object.
  13. DISTASTE The left Hand thrust forth with the Palm turn'd backward, the left Shoulder rais'd, and the Head bearing towards the Right.
  14. DETESTATION Both the turn'd-out Palms are so bent to the left Side, and the Head still more projected from the Object ... being a redoubled Action.
  15. TRIUMPHING Shake the Hand open, rais'd above our head, is an exulting Expression.
  16. ENTREATY Stretching out the Hands downward toward the Knees.
  17. GREIEF Hanging down the Head; wringing the Hands; and striking the Brest.
  18. RESIGNATION Hold out both the Hands joyn'd together.
  19. FORGIVENESS To extend and offer out the Right Hand.
  20. SHAME Covering the Face with the Hand.
  21. RECONCILIATION To shake the given Hand, or embrace the Body.
A similar but more extensive vocabulary of gestures used in pantomime exists, but will not be discussed here. 3, 4 Rather, a very short discussion about a very important aspect of pantomein. Specifically, the gestures used in pantomime seem to fall into two distinct categories. Gestures used in pantomime which might be viewed as "universal", as opposed to the gestures of pantomime that are culture or time dependent 4 (are NOT universal). An indicative gesture of pantomime such as pointing with a finger might be viewed as universal, as the finger is a convenient part of the body that can be used to designate a source of sound, light (image), odor, or even taste. However, nodding up and down with the head to signify "yes" cannot be universal, as in some societies, such a gesture signifies "no". Thus, if an art form such as ballet d'action is to have a universal basis, it would seem to require both classes of gesture, at the cost of not being transportable without modification between different societies or at different times if sufficiently remote.

We will now close our discussion of chironomia or a vocabulary of gestures used in pantomime..
1 "Mime, Music and Drama on the Eighteenth-Century Stage: The Ballet d'Action", Edward Nye, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2011, pp. 135-138.
2 Weaver, John; "The loves of Mars and Venus; a dramatick entertainment of dancing, attempted in imitation of the pantomimes of the ancient Greeks and Romans; as perform'd at the theatre in Drury-Lane", 1717, Eighteenth Century Collections Online, British Library, London
3 Barnett, Dene; with the assistance of Massey-Westropp, Jeanette; "The Art of Gesture: The practices and principles of 18th century acting", Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, Heidelberg, 1987
4 Jorio, Andrea de; "Gesture in Naples and Gesture in Classical Antiquity", Kendon, Adam (translator), Indiana Univ. Press, Bloomington, 2000 Especially, the following part of this book: "The Plates and Explanations of the Plates", pp. 401-477 which are more appropriate during the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

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