Movement Building Blocks
Arms
Young students are still developing their ability to control the individual segments of the arm. These exercises help beginners practice arm, wrist, and elbow coordination.
Right Arm Level
Hot Cross Buns (“Tray of Cookies”) develops awareness of keeping the bow arm level and opening from the elbow.
Boil Them Cabbage (“Bunny Hops”) establishes the hand position for playing at the frog. It also builds comfort with having the bow arm raised to the level of the violin.
Left Arm Rotation
All My Little Ducklings (“Duck Wings”) practices the rotation of the arm using both arms and touching the elbows together.
Mary Had a Little Lamb (“Nose to Tail”) practices the twisted and lifted position of the violin arm, which can feel unfamiliar and awkward to a novice player.
Opening the Elbow
Toddy-O (“Bows & Bumps”) teaches the distinction between opening from the elbow (the correct motion) and opening from the shoulder (the wrong motion).
Wrist and Bowhold
All Around the Buttercup introduces a preliminary bowhold, the “bow bunny.”
White Coral Bells (“Fairy Ballet”) practices maintaining a simple bow hand (“bow bunny”) while bending the wrist. In the high position, the wrist is convex; in the low position, it is concave.
