Thread: Tips for keeping zills on during...

Double veil? The zills aren't falling off, just getting in the way. Certain things, like trying to smoothly slip a zilled hand in between the edges of the veils to get inside of a veil envelope, befuddle me. I've tried turning the zills towards the backs of my fingers, and don't know what else to try.

..l;,
I was going to post this very same question!!!

I was also going to try turning the the zills around, for the double veil.

I don't want to play the zills while doing veil, so I was thinking of getting tinkerzills, and pushing the zills back far enough to allow me to hold on too the veils.

The other thing I was thinking of trying, is to put the zill on my ring finger, instead of my middle finger.
And use the index, and middle finger to hold the veil?

I've used my ring finger, and pinky to hold a single veil, while I playes zills, but I don't think it will work with two veils.

I haven't tried any of these ideas yet.

how are you holding the two veils? the only way I have been able to pull it off at all is to pinch one veil between pinky & ring finger & the other between index & middle finger. I keep the zills facing as normal and cup them with my fingers so it is a little more streamlined. This gives a little more space between the veils, but it is still awkward. Maybe I just need to work at it more, but I would love to know if anyone has a better solution! My first instructor taught us to actually tuck a bit of the veil into the zill elastic, but it always came out for me & can limit what you do. Still, worth trying again perhaps!

Back in my student days, I used to have a teacher, Luceen, who said she would cut off my hands if I dared to take my zills off during performance.

However...

She did give me special dispensation to take them off while doing double veil - even SHE couldn't do double veil with the zills on. So for about 5 years I did take off the zills for double veil. But then, I discovered that with practice I could leave them on. And now I never take them off even for double veil.

I don't really have any "tricks" to share there. Really, it was just all about practicing and practicing and practicing.

I am in TOTAL AWE of any dancer who can wear zills while performing double veil!

But I'm still rather ragged wearing zills with single!

Originally Posted by zorba

I am in TOTAL AWE of any dancer who can wear zills while performing double veil!

Ditto!!!

*Shira*
What size zills do you use?

I was also from the "school" of never taking finger cymbals off during a show.

Last time I EVER wore zills w/ double veil was for competition.
Waaay too stressful.

But here is the order of holding (same for both hands):
middle finger cymbal
veil
index finger
veil
thumb cymbal

Keep the edges of the veil up to the web of your fingers (you're holding it a few inches in).

I am right handed so in my right hand I hold the "top" veil.
The left hand holds the "bottom" veil.

Just before I release, I bring awareness to which fingers are going to hold which veil.

In my left hand, my middle finger cymbal and index finger will hold the veil.

Once you release, you can adjust your fingers so that each hand is holding between thumb cymbal and index finger.

This I did with Tutankhamun's.
And I should add that I entered holding the veils.

Lara- I'm holding the veils exactly the way Azhia described, except I've been holding the veil at the top halves of my fingers rather than bringing it in to the web space. And I have the veils against skin on all fingers, rather than holding it against the zill (scary thought not being able to feel it!), I think I just offset the zills and the veils from center a bit. It actually never occured to me to try holding the veil with different fingers.
Thanks all for the suggestions & things to try!

Originally Posted by Azhia

I was also from the "school" of never taking finger cymbals off during a show.

Last time I EVER wore zills w/ double veil was for competition.
Waaay too stressful.

But here is the order of holding (same for both hands):
middle finger cymbal
veil
index finger
veil
thumb cymbal

Keep the edges of the veil up to the web of your fingers (you're holding it a few inches in).

I am right handed so in my right hand I hold the "top" veil.
The left hand holds the "bottom" veil.

Just before I release, I bring awareness to which fingers are going to hold which veil.

In my left hand, my middle finger cymbal and index finger will hold the veil.

Once you release, you can adjust your fingers so that each hand is holding between thumb cymbal and index finger.

This I did with Tutankhamun's.
And I should add that I entered holding the veils.

Thank you Azhia!!!
I must print this, and try it!!!