Where Do the Fingers Go
Where Do the Fingers Go is a physical presence exercise in which participants become aware of and deliberately place their hands and fingers in specific, intentional positions during scenes and exercises, training the elimination of unfocused hand behavior and the expressive use of the body's extremities.
Structure
The Observation
Participants perform a short scene or exercise while a facilitator or observer tracks what the participants' hands and fingers are doing. Unfocused behaviors are identified: dangling, fidgeting, floating, or unconscious touching.
The Direction
The facilitator redirects hand position: hands at rest, hands in pockets, hands engaged with an object or partner. The instruction is always specific, not corrective.
The Integration
Participants repeat the scene with deliberate hand placement, noticing how intentional hand use affects physical presence and character.
How to Teach It
Objectives
Where Do the Fingers Go addresses one of the most common indicators of performer anxiety and unfocused presence: unintentional hand behavior. Hands communicate intention to an audience even when performers are not aware of them.
Facilitation Notes
The exercise is most effective when specific unfocused behaviors are named rather than generally corrected. 'Your hands are floating at waist height' is more useful than 'be more intentional.'
Common Pitfalls
Participants become self-conscious about their hands and freeze them. The goal is integration and intentionality, not stillness for its own sake.
Worth Reading
See all books →
Improvisation the Michael Chekhov Way
Active Exploration of Acting Techniques
Wil Kilroy
Group Improvisation
The Manual of Ensemble Improv Games
Peter Campbell Gwinn; Charna Halpern
Action Theater
The Improvisation of Presence
Ruth Zaporah
The Improv Illusionist
Using Object Work, Environment, and Physicality in Performance
David Raitt
Theater Games for the Lone Actor
Viola Spolin
Improvised Theatre and the Autism Spectrum
A Practical Guide
Gary Kramer; Richie Ploesch
Related Exercises
Complete Bodies
Complete Bodies is a physicality exercise in which players practice using their entire body to communicate rather than relying primarily on face and hands. The exercise challenges performers to express emotional states, status, and character through the spine, torso, hips, and legs as well as through their more habitual expressive channels. It builds physical range and presence for scene work and performance.
Foot Soldiers
Foot Soldiers is a physicality exercise in which performers focus attention on their feet and how different footwork patterns create distinct characters. Changes in stride, weight, tempo, and contact with the floor transform a player's entire presence. The exercise demonstrates that character begins from the ground up.
Obstacle Course
Obstacle Course is a physical exercise in which players navigate a real or imagined series of obstacles using their bodies expressively. The exercise may be used to build physical confidence, practice environment work, or warm up the body before performance. It trains spatial awareness and encourages bold physical choices.
Columbian Hypnosis
Columbian Hypnosis is a Theatre of the Oppressed exercise in which one player holds their palm in front of a partner's face, and the partner must keep their face at a fixed distance from the hand as it moves through space. The leader's hand controls the follower's entire body. The exercise explores power dynamics, control, and physical responsiveness.
Exaggeration Circle
Exaggeration Circle is a physical exercise in which a gesture, movement, or sound is passed around a circle, growing progressively larger and more committed with each repetition. The first player initiates a small motion; each subsequent player exaggerates what they received slightly further, until the original gesture has transformed into its most physically extreme expression. The exercise develops range, commitment to physical offers, and the willingness to go beyond habitual comfort zones.
Scene / Character Walkabout
Scene/Character Walkabout is an exercise in which performers walk around the space embodying a character, then engage in brief scene interactions with other walking characters. The exercise develops character physicality, the ability to initiate scenes organically, and the skill of maintaining a character while simultaneously navigating an unstructured environment.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Where Do the Fingers Go. Retrieved March 19, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/where-do-the-fingers-go
The Improv Archive. "Where Do the Fingers Go." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/where-do-the-fingers-go.
The Improv Archive. "Where Do the Fingers Go." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/where-do-the-fingers-go. Accessed March 19, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.