Washington Post
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How to authentically finger-clap
Posted
August 25, 2025
Views
21,558
Likes
268
Comments
14
Engagement
1.31%
August 25, 2025
21,558
268
14
1.31%
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1:16Now PlayingThe finger-clap has quietly taken over pop culture from Beyoncé’s stage to "Love Island." But this silent applause traces back to queer ballroom. Post reporter Samantha Chery shows us how to do it and why it matters.
The surge of tiny clapping has led to an endless debate on TikTok about the proper way to do it. Some insist finger claps should be silent and bristle at people who say “clock it” or “tea” while clapping. Others take issue with influencers who clap with their index finger, when the middle finger is more commonly used in ballroom. (If this seems pedantic, imagine the reaction if you used your middle finger to give a thumbsup.) And a notion has spread that the finger clap is supposed to resemble the American Sign Language sign for the number 8, because it means someone “ate,” or performed extremely well. (Ballroom folks say that’s a reach though.) Read moreSubscribe to The Washington Post on YouTube
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