Thread: Anybody dance with capes?

Does anybody out there dance with a cape?

A while back, I got this cape on eBay (total impulse purchase) from a belly dancer who said she was going into semi-retirement. The seller threw in a DVD of a cape choreography with a practice CD -- thing is, the choreography doesn't suit my style very well, and I'd rather develop my own than use someone else's anyway.

The cape is one of those big full-circle numbers (made of heavy tricot) open all the way up the front, with a collar so you can wear it securely while doing arm movements with the fabric. I can get some great flow-y movements with it, but I'd like to find some general guidance on cape dancing to give me more ideas about how to use it. Haven't been able to find much of anything by way of video instruction; not much on YouTube, either.

Any suggestions, anyone?

Mezdulene's Veiled Visions video has a section on cape work. The cape section is short because the video also teaches some single veil moves and some double veil moves, so each takes up a bit of the video. But since you're looking for resources, it's one option.

They were a soft flowey material, a full circle with a slit into the center and a neck hole, with a frog thing to hold it shut. I have wrist/hand straps near the edges part way out so I can do arm movements and take it along. (think of the slit at 12, put the thin straps about 1:30 and 10:30).

I think of it as a full circle veil that I can wear and do dramatic stuff to, opening and closing, up and down while it is still capelike around my neck. Unhook the frog, hands out of the straps and it is a full circle veil, doing all the veil stuff with that works with it.

Experiment and have fun. I found it takes a lot of muscle and energy to do stuff with it, but it can be impressive too. Good luck with it.

Amir Thaleb uses a "long coat" in many of his dances. He first dances with it as a coat and then detaches the bottom and uses it like a cape. Here's one on youtube that I was able to find, although in this one he detaches, swirls and tosses fairly quickly. Hopefully it will still give you ideas.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjc-l1pxhM0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjc-l1pxhM0[/ame]

Thanks, everybody.

Shira, I forgot to mention that I do have Mezdulene's veil video. As you say, the cape section is short -- her main advice is to try some single-veil movements with it.

Jaziri -- That sounds similar to mine, except that I have a snap instead of a frog, and no hand straps. I'd be interested to know whether you find the straps particularly useful, or if you tend to do most of your moves without them.

Khaalidah -- Wow! Really cool. I've never seen him before. It does give me some ideas; now I'm hungry to see more if anyone comes across anything else like this.

I've seen Sahra Kent perform with a satin shawl/cape with a ruffle trim. The choreo was Oriental/Spanish fusion, and she manipulated the cape with a very flamenco, almost bullfighter feel at times. I also remember her whipping it around herself so quickly - the heaviness of the satin gave it a lot of body - it was very nice.