Performance behavior :)

[bitus]

How do you behave when you perform? There are people who make huge circles, or people who jump off the seat  :-/, people who lift their hands waaaay up (Rubinstein) etc. I've seen people smiling, crying, screaming... What about you?

I remember watching a Horowitz video, and he stood still all throughout the performance. However, his face, though barely showing it, reflected all the intensity of which he was playing with. I believe Rachmaninoff had the same attitude. Myself, i prefer this kind of performance. You're not that dramatic, but you concentrate more on the music you're playing. Also, I keep my eyes on the keyboard... 99% of the times open.
The Bitus.

[dchaikin]

Screaming?

[faulty_damper]

Beethoven was far more flambouyant than most pianists of his time and now.  I'd like to have seen that performance recital when he knocked out one of the candleholders when his arms flailed up and the boy didn't have time to react to it.  

Back to the behaviour:
Whatever moves you.  Like tapping the feet (to the rhythm), stepping (like the steps in a cakewalk), swaying the body (also helps keep tempo), getting up really close to the keyboard (as in hunched over [Beethoven did this when he was nearly deaf because he could hear the music]), moving the torso back and forth (away and close to the keyboard), moving the head, etc.

There are lots of ways to play.  I do all of the above.  I also sometimes sing the melody line or bass notes.

Mozart was completely still - he let his hands and arms do the talking... or rather playing.

LangLang:  He makes me laugh because he's SO expressive!

Example of possible expressions:
:-/

Hha hha, he he.  He's so funny!

"screaming... "  I'll have to second dchaikin:

Screaming?

[anda]

on screaming:

i've seen a pianist (several times in a few years time) who practiced so much voice-accompanied (i mean, sing along with playing - actually a very good method of practice) and got so used to this that he couldn't stop doing it on stage. he was actually an incredible pianist, but you could hardly concentrate on playing with him howling over... eventually he lost this bad habit

[Motrax]

Glenn Gould sings while he plays. I've a recording of his of Bach's WTC Book 1, and his singing really bothered me at first. Now though, I'm used to it, and I think it actually enhances the music a little bit.

I try to be reasonable about my expression, although I can't be sure what I look like when I play. I close my eyes a lot, though. And when only one hand is playing, I have the other hand "conducting," waving around and such.

[Clare]

Yeah - me too. I like to wave my spare hand around a lot. Also, when there is a silent bit, sometimes, I put a finger up to my mouth like I'm about to go, "SHH!"
This kind of stuff only happens when I'm on my own, though.
I know I always look like I'm glazed over like I'm watching TV when I play.

[Beethoven87]

Well, I can't say I'd approve of some old man doing that, but on a young female pianist, that would actually be pretty hot.  Which, amongst the over perfumed old ladies I always see at concerts, could be a welcome turn of events.