If you haven't seen the Introduction Video with a first look at gameplay copy link here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxJTsq2XeKY&noredirect=1

Animations can make a game feel clunky, stiff, fluid, smooth, cartoony, goofy, etc. when you play it, you feel it. Emotes are primarily used to interact with other players--a mode of communication previously unnecessary in TES single-player games. But what you can do to express your character affects the real mmo community and the feel of the game as well.

Please post what you would like to see and don't want to see in TESO animations and emotes. Avoid criticizing others opinions. Say what YOU would like in TESO and why. Everyone is allowed to have an opinion. This thread is for creative input of what you like not putting down others.

Here's my opinion and I expect to see a lot of different ones. It's okay!

On the Video:

I hate to say it but the animations look "WoWish" specifically the high jumping, flipping, casting, flashy effects with saturated colors, and bowing emote. These would not stand out except that TES graphics tend toward realism not cartoon charm. WoW is a great mmo but I don't think it should be present in TESO through goofy, silly, or exaggerated animations.

Animation(s):

No staves on the character's back.
More variety in armor. "Tabard" look for every set is unoriginal.
No high-jumping. Lend to TES realism even with 100 acrobatics.
No exaggerated armor and characters. Use TES realistic proportions.
No flashy effects and overly saturated colors in battles to look "cartoony" instead of TES realism

I'd like to see original casting animations and/or based on TES games. The Master spells of Skyrim requiring 2H casting were beautiful and artistic casting. Overall artistry needs realistic, gritty feel of Skyrim, mystery of Morrowind, and so on for each of the other lands but not "cartoony." I want an original TES realism feel.

Side note on battle content here:
One giant boss... I'm not in favor of these. It's old, been done. At least have modest-sized opponents if powerful. Just because they're a boss doesn't mean they need to be a house (unless it's a daedric prince). Most massive multiplayer content should be in PvP guild raids. I love PvE group questing but not ubiquitous giant bosses. Do you ever fight a stealthy boss or Vampire Patriarch/Matriarch? Big doesn't necessarily mean challenging or fun imo.

Emotes:

I don't want to see goofy, pop culture dances. In fact, I don't mind if they leave dances out entirely. I like them in WoW but I don't want to see them in Tamriel at all.
I don't want cheering, high jumping NPCs mobbing me whenever I enter the town I will regret not letting burn to the ground.
I don't want to bow like a court dandy.
I don't want to see rude or insult emotes so we can be like "bad" little kiddies.
I don't care if no one can laugh or cry. No one uses these except to annoy, mock, tease, or beg.
No begging. Dueling yes. No flags (armbands maybe). No begging.

I prefer lore-based emotes unique to race with a few general emotes. The preliminary list: kneel, wave/greet, bow/salute, sit, lie down, clap, shake hands (takes two to agree), mead mug cheer/sway. I'd like to see Brawl in TESO even though it's more of a duel form than an emote.

Every race has or suggests from lore greetings and gestures of respect for their mentors, fellow citizens, and rulers. I would like to see some unique racial emotes in these cultural exchanges. How Dunmer wave, salute, or kneel doesn't have to look like every other race. General emotes among all races like clapping, being able to raise a mug in a tavern, or "conduct" with a mug swaying on a street or around a campfire are drawn straight from previous TES games. Cartoony, "every other mmo does this"--stuff doesn't belong in TESO.

Side note on Talking to Other Races:
I want to be able to talk to any race and have open-world PvE/PvP and be able to freely associate with all players, form guilds, and build community without "invisible walls." The 3 faction system is contrived and poses more limitations than benefits. I favor guild-based PvP system and open-world PvP not only in Cyrodiil.