Aesthetic Style
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Aesthetic Style is a loose grouping of elements that define a visual pattern that distinguishes spinners from one another. These elements are not commonly agreed upon and can include factors such as finger positioning, angle choice, hand appearance and tempo. Once considered to be a unique skill that needed to be acquired by high level spinners, recent scrutiny has challenged the authenticity of this definition through comparing videos taken of live spinning of spinners commonly associated with having a high level of aesthetic style versus the videos that they recorded themselves.
Elements
Finger positioning
Several finger positioning theories have arisen over time, typically stating that there are positions that are more aesthetically pleasing than others. In practice, many spinners considered to be high level in aesthetic style do not have fixed finger positions for tricks as used in many early theories, but construct it as part of the structure of a combo while using the camera's perspective for measurement.
Tempo
Some tempo elements have been considered solely a contributor to aesthetic style in the past, but this has been challenged more recently as the average overall execution level of other spinning disciplines has improved over time. Commonly cited examples of tempo in aesthetic style include sharp direction changes, combos with a single persistent speed, slow spinning and changes in speed to highlight certain motions.
Hand appearance
Hand appearance is by far the most controversial element that comprises Aesthetic Style, with long, slender fingers, smaller hands and fairer skin tones greatly prized above alternatives. For skin tones specifically this has raised debate about racism in the hobby. Many spinners who attempt to improve their hand appearance have grown out long nails to make their fingers appear longer, leading to the perjorative 'handcel' label being applied to spinners who are overly concerned with the appearance of their hands in pen spinning.