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When Wolves equalised, Monteiro was about to bring on striker Hwang Hee-chan, but after some hand waving in Pereira's direction, the decision was changed.

Frustration then boiled over as animated hand waving was aimed the way of team-mate Rafael Leao late in the game.

“Some people think that conducting is just a combination of hand waving and keeping the beat,” says Mr. Choi.

As the seconds go by, his apologetic demeanor morphs into something more like comedy — his head shaking, his hand waving in a vaguely Italian-style telegraph of exasperation, all of it coalescing into a fascinating improvisational bit.

For others, it was a skill to be honed and shown off at regular “showcases” that ballroom manager Ming Wei Ma, or Mr. Ma, excitedly pitched at the end of classes, his hand waving a flier in the air, DuVal said.