BELLY DANCE PROPS: VEILS, CANES, ZILLS AND SWORDS!
One part of belly dance training and something that adds variety to your performance is the use of props. Learning how to use a particular prop is often incorporated in your belly dance development once you are past a beginners level.
Often, when I first learn how to use a prop, I become annoyed with myself as it can be a struggle when trying to master a dance whilst juggling a prop at the same time. Having said this, once you have the skill of using a particular prop, it can be an exciting challenge that adds a different dimension to your performance. Below are my own personal top 5 props
5. Double Veil- this is definitely one of the most challenging props as it can be tricky however, if used correctly, there is something magical and vibrant when you see a dancer turning in and out of their double veils. Such a large variety of technique can also be used here e.g. dancing between the veils or dancing with one in each hand.
4. Cane- There are many variations of what we classify as a belly dance cane. One should however, distinguish between a traditional Assaya stick, and an Egyptian cane (with the hook on the end). Either way (without going into too much detail), both I think are quite fun to use and look impressive in performance especially when performing with lots of attitude.
Mahira Girls performing a cane dance at Guanabara, 2012
3. Single Veil- For me, this prop looks the most delicate and graceful and can be very beautiful when it flows with the music. This was the first prop I ever learnt how to use and veils are often used at the beginning of a performance. A personal preference for me is a silk veil as they create nice shapes in the air and flow freely.
2. Zills- Frustrating to master at first but its worth it in the end! I love the variety of rhythms that you can play and connect with the music and it is truly a challenging but fun multi tasking experience. This prop is also one of the few that are used in a variety of styles ranging from Turkish Oryantal to American Tribal styles.
The wait is over, here is #1 .
1. Sword- My sword is like my best friend! This is by far my favourite prop for several reasons .
Firstly it takes a lot of skill to be able to balance a sword whilst controlling your moves and you have to have a certain amount of trust in your sword and yourself as it can be a lot of pressure when using one in front of an audience. Having said this, this prop is very impressive as you can choose to be delicate with a sword or aggressive in a performance. Finally from experience, most audiences (especially non belly dance audiences) appreciate and get excited when they see a sword, which probably makes this one of the most challenging but rewarding props to use.
Biess, my good friend and fellow Mahira girl, performing at Dark Britannia 2013 with her excellent sword skills.
Sureya
Don't forget to check out our show 'The Dark Queen' next month (8th December) at Guanabara in London, where we will be using just about every single prop you can think of! For more info, please follow the link below.
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Excellent article, Sureya. Thank you.
My favourites are:
3. Isis Wings. Learning how to use these helped me overcome my fear of veils;
2. Zills. Fell in love with them in March.
1. Sword. Felt as if it belonged there the moment I first put one on my head!
Maureen