Stand with the feet in first position, facing a mirror. Hold the arms in second position. Create a curved line with each arm that extends from the shoulder to the fingertips. Rotate the hands forward at the wrists so that the palms incline slightly toward the floor.
Extend all the fingers, but keep them soft. Leave space between individual fingers and relax every finger at the joints.
Position the index and ring fingers on each hand slightly above the middle and little fingers. Rotate the thumb slightly toward the palm and extend it parallel to the index finger. Position the middle finger close to the thumb and resist fanning or jutting the little finger outward.
Extend the fingers and turn the palms toward the floor when lowering the arms from second position. Bend the wrists slightly, gently flex the hands back and allow the fingers to trail after the arms as they lower. Imagine cutting through the air and meeting with some resistance to achieve the desired effect.
Face the palms inward toward each other when the arms are rounded overhead or in front of you. In arabesque, face the palms directly downward, as if they are resting on air.
Maintain the relaxed, soft curvature of the fingers even when jumping. Resist tensing the fingers or jerking the hands as you spring from the floor.