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Recitation Handclasp

Recitation posture

When someone is reciting something from memory (or singing something from memory, as in a recital), they quite often assume a certain posture: Standing erect, they clasp the fingers of each hand together. See photo for example. (Photo comes from a comic parody

of the Major General Song.) Apparently there is sound reason for this posture; pulling on one's arms thusly expands the chest cavity, allowing for more lung capacity and thus volume. Perhaps a Discredited Trope, as it was probably done a lot more in the 19th century than today.

Examples:

Film

This is done in Miss Congeniality.
The children assume this posture during their recital at the festival in The Sound of Music.
Done without irony as a beginning and ending pose for the poetic recitations in the movie of Anne of Green Gables.
One of several positions Danny Kaye takes while singing in The Court Jester.
Alice did this when she was reciting poetry in the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland.
The kinnigihts of Camelot assume this posture (when they're not dancing on the tables) during the "Knights of the Round Table" song in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
The womens' chorus assume this pose during the Major General Song in the 1983 film version of The Pirates of Penzance (and in the Delacorte theatrical version from which it sprang).

Live-Action TV

The cast of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip did it when singing their version of Major General.
In a segment of Greatest Hits on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Wayne and Josie sing a song about chiropractors in the style of Gilbert and Sullivan, assuming this position as a parody of those types of songs. And it's awesome.
- Wayne Brady also takes this pose in one episode during a game of "Theater and Film Styles", when Drew Carey calls out, "Gilbert and Sullivan."

Web Original

Done in A Very Model Halloween, as mentioned above. Doubtless a parody on the above-mentioned womens' chorus pose from the film.

Western Animation

Giovanni Jones (the fat opera singer) assumes this posture in the Looney Tunes short, "Long Haired Hare."
In the Family Guy episode, "Model Misbehavior", Peter (all four of him) takes this position when reminiscing about the time he was a member of the singing group, "the Four Peters" (basically humming "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" by Mozart).

Perishing Alt Rock Voice

Screen-to-Stage Adaptation

alternative title(s): Recitation Posture

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