A reverence is a kind gesture and is made to show respect and gratitude, usually towards someone of a higher social rank or status. In the Western world, it is the feminine equivalent of a bow. In the past, bowing was a common custom in everyday life, but today it is reserved for European nobility, in addition to very special occasions such as debutante dances and recitals. The movement itself is not complicated, but it does require some practice to maintain perfect balance and posture. If you ever need to expertly perform a bow, this article shows you how to do it!
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Part One: Perform a Simple Bow
Step 1. Lower your head
Bend it slightly forward, as if making a respectful nod. Maintain this head position throughout the bow.
Step 2. Hold the skirt
Grab the edges between the thumb and the first two fingers of both hands, with the little fingers extended. Gently spread the skirt on each side. If it is too narrow to open outwards, just keep your hands at your sides.
Step 3. Extend right foot behind left
Place it about 5 centimeters behind the left, and rest it completely on the ground. As you move, shift most of your weight to your front foot.
Step 4. Bend your knees
Lower yourself, bending your knees outward rather than forward. Keep your back straight, don't lean forward and don't throw your butt out.
Step 5. Gracefully bring yourself back to your original position
Don't bring the weight back, slowly and gracefully return to a standing position, lowering your hands to your sides and raising your head.
Method 2 of 2: Part Two: Performing Other Types of Bows
Step 1. Make a bow to the court
This type of bow is a profound form of reverence used to show respect and deference to members of the royal family, usually in European countries. A court bow is similar to a simple one but requires you to bow a lot more in order to show more respect. If you ever meet the Queen of England, this is the way to say goodbye!
- To perform a court bow, extend your right foot behind your left, resting it completely on the ground. Keep your back straight and head bowed and bend your knees outward.
- Lower yourself until your right knee almost touches the ground. Stay in this position for a second or two, then slowly lift yourself up and come back to a standing position.
- This type of curtsy may not sound difficult, but it actually takes a lot of practice to make sure you perform it smoothly and without jerky movements.
Step 2. Try a ballet bow
Also known as révérence, it is an elegant bow performed at the end of a performance or performance to show gratitude to the audience, the pianist, or the instructor. To perform this bow follow these directions:
- Start with the first position. Extend your right leg to the side, pointing your toes. As you do this, extend your arms outward to the second position.
- Shift your weight onto your right foot as you extend your left foot about two inches behind. Place your left foot on your toes.
- Keep your back straight and bend your knees outward in a bow. As you bend over, bring your arms back to 1st position and bend your head slightly.
- Then, keeping the same position as the feet, straighten the legs, raising the arms to the fourth position. Lift your head and stretch your neck and back while doing this.
- Reverse the movements and repeat on the opposite side to complete the révérence. If you need more clarification on the various ballet positions, do a search on the internet.
Step 3. Do a "Texas Bow"
It is an elaborate bow performed by Texas state debutantes during the International Debutante Ball. It consists of bending down on your own in a deep bow, then leaning forward until your head almost touches the floor, giving your dress the shape of a balloon all around you.
- To do a "Texas Bow", raise your arms forward at shoulder height, then extend them to the sides by crossing the left leg behind the right.
- Keep your back straight and arms stretched to the sides, bend your knees and lower yourself into a deep bow. When you can't get any lower, sit gently on your buttocks.
- Once seated, lean forward until your forehead is almost touching the floor. At this point, some rookies can turn their heads to the side to avoid smudging the dress with lipstick!
- Keep your back hunched, raise your head to watch the audience, and don't forget to smile!
- Finally, grab your companion's hand and slowly and gracefully lift up to return to an upright position.
Advice
- It is also important to know when to bow. You must bow once when you greet a member of the royal family, then take a second bow when you walk away.
- Other circumstances in which women and girls bow are at the end of an awards ceremony, or at the end of a musical recital or choir recital. Little girls may bow when they introduce themselves to visitors for the first time, and girls in Catholic schools may bow to nuns, to show respect.
Warnings
- Don't stick your butt out.
- Don't lose your balance.
