A student asked me this recently… Q. Do I have to play my zills for the whole song? And if I don’t, can I just stop and start wherever I want? A. No, you don’t have to play your zills for any whole song – in fact, you may be overpowering the softer parts of your music if you do. This is especially important if you are playing with band and/or a singer. The music […]
Hey there dancers! I was putting together today’s Daily Bellydance Quickie and thought I’d try something new. Here’s a “Zill Play-Along” for you to have fun with during your practice. You will hear me play a pattern, then repeat after me. There’s a metronome going in the background to help you keep a steady pace. Mahin’s Zill Play-along #1 Depending on your skill and experience level in playing zills, you can use this track in […]
We all have things we struggle to learn as dancers, for many it’s zills. They are challenging for sure in that “rub your belly, pat your head” kind of way. So many dancers seem to not play them these days that it just gets easier and easier for new dancers to justify passing them up like some optional prop. Heck, your instructor many not even play – so why should you bother? Investing the time […]
I recently received a copy of the “Chinese Silk Fan Fusion” DVD by Mirabai. I’ve never done any fan dancing before so I thought I’d review this DVD from a beginner perspective on this style. One of the things I love most about bellydance is that there seems to be a never-ending stream of new things to learn, both old styles and new. I adore my silk veils, so it shouldn’t take much to tempt […]