Thread: Zill 'cheats'

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone had a link to zill 'cheats' for my students...that is, phrasing like 'shave and a haircut, one two, one two three' seems to help them. I wasn't sure what to term it, so sorry there!

Yum yum coffeeshop, yum coffee shop coffee :)

" I am a godess, I'm a belly dancer..."

"worship ME worship ME"

oh...sorry. Those just make me laugh. I couldn't help myself...

I like the coffeeshop one!!! ;) mmm...coffee...

For a variation on a gallop (rlr rlr rlrlrlr), I use "gotta sing, gotta dance, got a chicken in my pants. Courtesy of Sumaya.

I got ants, I got ants, I got ants in my pants.
chi-cken-dance, chi-cken-dance, every-one-do-the-chi-cken-dance

Okay that was really bad, but fun. Yasmin, {chuckle} I got that one too!
I can just picture that video in my head. Was that suppose to be the "malfluff" rhythm? ..l;,

After you give them some examples you can always assign them a pattern as homework to bring back a memory device that works for them for that pattern...it'll give you and your students more to work with.


(Here in Japan the language is more easily broken into syllables, I tend to use trainstations and routes....which I picked up from some Japanese dancers when they were struggling to find non-English memory devices)

Down, bloody cat, down down bloody cat. (1 123 11 123, ie saidi)
I can dance, I can dance, I can do the belly dance (same as Laura's chicken one, aka 123 123 1234567)

In general I like the numbers best though.

Babaganouj is very good but my cousin Ahmed likes tabouli. (rlrl rl rl rl rlrl rl rl)

4-4-4-3
Mother*ucker, Mother*ucker, Mother*ucker, *uck this *hit.

Originally Posted by ozma

4-4-4-3
Mother*ucker, Mother*ucker, Mother*ucker, *uck this *hit.

Best one yet. And aptly reflects what beginning zil-ers are thinking.

Originally Posted by DeborahDances

Best one yet. And aptly reflects what beginning zil-ers are thinking.

..l;, ..l;,

Originally Posted by DeborahDances

Best one yet. And aptly reflects what beginning zil-ers are thinking.

Oh wow, this made me laugh so loud. Too funny.

I do Saqras "Gotta Dance, Gotta Dance, Gotta a Chicken in Your Pants."

1-2-3 1-2-3 1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Wow has this thread made me laugh out loud! These are great suggestions. I like the idea of assigning a memory device for my students as well.

My fave is Saqra's mnemonic for ayyub: ripe bananas, ripe bananas.

Originally Posted by bintbeled

My fave is Saqra's mnemonic for ayyub: ripe bananas, ripe bananas.

Saqras all seem to be food oriented. She has another one that I think is

"I want to eat a donut for my lunch--but I won't"..l;,

Wanna dance, wanna dance ,really wanna dance,
wanna dance wanna dance really really really wanna dance

For leff we use "everybody wants one, everybody wants one" and ripe bananas for the one no one can remember the name (ayoub)

Now I thought this thread was about when you put zills on, then play music that had zilling in it, and just waggle your zills around theatrially as if you were making some noise - or so that when dancing with compadres who can actually zill, you don't spoil their sound.

Not that I would *ever* do such a thing, ehem... Nothing to see here, move along...

Love this thread.w.:..l;,,r:;

"Ripe bananas" is making me think of shaking overripe banana flesh from my fingers while zarring. "Ripe bananas, ripe bananas, ripe bananas, icky, disgusting." Because you know it always goes "icky, disgusting" at some point.

It's close to what others use, but for 3-3-7 I use

I can dance, I can dance, I can really really dance

Not just a helpful hint, but a nice little affirmation!

3-1-3-1-3

Baklava one Baklava two Baklava (tho' it makes me hungry)

3-5-5

Baklava- give me all of it! Give me all of it! (I like baklava)

are you guys for real, ...you REALLY say those things ?????
wow, ..well, gee...thought it was only the dolphin lady
wow

I actually use them rarely. I do use the "I can dance" one, because it's the second pattern I introduce (3's being the first) and it makes them laugh. When they laugh, they relax and ALWAYS do better. I use numbers and the musical counting (123 123 1234567 being "and a 1, and a 2, and a 3 e and a 4), but rarely use the words, except to make them laugh and relax.

Originally Posted by zamora

are you guys for real, ...you REALLY say those things ?????
wow, ..well, gee...thought it was only the dolphin lady
wow

I never did. I learned via the drum teachings. But it is funny to see what phrases go with the zill patterns.

Originally Posted by amarasdance

I actually use them rarely. I do use the "I can dance" one, because it's the second pattern I introduce (3's being the first) and it makes them laugh. When they laugh, they relax and ALWAYS do better. I use numbers and the musical counting (123 123 1234567 being "and a 1, and a 2, and a 3 e and a 4), but rarely use the words, except to make them laugh and relax.

Same here. I'll do any number of silly things if it helps people learn and remember what I've taught when they get home. I'm teaching a lot of people who are well into middle age and are playing a musical instrument for the first time in their lives, so I'll do whatever I can to make it seem less overwhelming.

I think the difference between the examples above and Dolphina is that we know we're being silly, whereas her videos don't give me the impression she's intentially being humorous.

I have had 'got a chicken in my pants' floating around in my head for days now!!,m::

..l;,..l;,..l;,

Originally Posted by BreaMorgiane

I have had 'got a chicken in my pants' floating around in my head for days now!!,m::

..l;,..l;,..l;,

That's the idea! ..g.:

what ever happened to
tek ca dum dum tek a tek dun tek a tek?...thats balady

Zum- pardon for my ignorance but is your...interesting...one a variation on ayyub?

Ripe bananas? Yeah. So often you hear ayoub bits that go dum, ka dum tek, dum, ka dum tek, dum, ka dum tek, dumka, ka dum tek