Thread: Sword dance with zills on?

Hey Bhuz, couldn't think of anywhere else to pose this question:

If you had a sword dance song sandwiched between two zill songs, would you just suck it up and keep the zills on? I have a bellygram coming up and I like where the song is, like the songs before and after and really don't want to change the order. I've practiced and besides an occasional 'ding!' I can keep the zills out of the way. What do you think? Should I just ditch the zills at the sword point and not use them after?

In case anyone's wondering, I'm using the Eddie 'The Sheik' Strictly Bellydance CD (volume 6). I'm totally addicted to it!

I am actually learning a choreography that includes both zils and sword so I say go for it:)

as long as you're doing what you're doing lookin' like a Rak Star... it's all good!!! ;)

I've seen a lot of people (including myself) leave zills on for sword, and I've seen alot of people (also myself at other times) take the zills off... where I dance there's usually columns, tables, shelves.. all sorts of things *right there* so it's not awkward or distracting to take them off and put them back on.. as long as you're not fumbling to get them back on afterward.. whatever you feel comfortable with. I always think hand motions/movements look prettier without zills .. but if you're in a busy restaurant and take them off .. that's always when the fat-fingered customer trys 'em on and stretches out the elastic.. so you know what'll work best in your situation

I've seen some awesome performances with zilling while sword balancing. You can really make a splash if you not just keep them on, but use them!

I always keep my finger cymbals on when I do sword. I keep them on for veil, too.

Originally Posted by Doozer

If you had a sword dance song sandwiched between two zill songs, would you just suck it up and keep the zills on?

Have and would. I don't do sword much anymore, but it was a requirement at a few places I used to work, and most of us always left our cymbals on for sword (and often played them while balancing things). In my experience it was standard for the old-style American Cabaret 5 part routine, and with Eddie the Sheik you, your sword, and your zills will be just fine!

Have a great show!

I am sure that Cory will tell you that you never take your zills off during a performance. And I agree overall. If you are worried about catching the sword or dinging too often, take a moment and twist the zills so they are away from your palm. It's aestitically not that beautiful, but in my expeience, most of your audience is going, "WOW!!! LOOK AT HER AND THAT SWORD!!!!" And won't really notice the zills.

{{{HUGS}}}

really depends on what you are doing with the sword. Most typical belly dance sword routines you can easily do with cymbals on- I do a few things with sword that would be just about impossible unless I turn my cymbal around on the R index finder (which I have also done.)
Just make sure you practice that way

It's a birthday party so I doubt fumbling around with zills would go unnoticed.

It didn't even occur to me to turn them around...in this case it sounds like a fine idea as the Pharonic tune is just too slow for zills.

The gigs I usually see are five minutes or under: community dances with quite a few performances. In other words, we usually have time for a single prop. Thank you for the input ladies!

Originally Posted by Doozer

It's a birthday party so I doubt fumbling around with zills would go unnoticed.

It didn't even occur to me to turn them around...in this case it sounds like a fine idea as the Pharonic tune is just too slow for zills.

The gigs I usually see are five minutes or under: community dances with quite a few performances. In other words, we usually have time for a single prop. Thank you for the input ladies!

I'd say that if you can confidently keep the zills on, then do it. If you think it is going to make you nervous, then don't. Better to dance confidently when you are balancing a sword.

As others have mentioned, keeping them on would fit beautifully with the American Cabaret style that you are doing.

If you don't wear them for the last song, maybe you can get the audience to clap along instead.

And don't forget not to have "sword face" (I never really noticed "sword face" until I saw the Top Belly Dancer show.)

Originally Posted by Doozer

Hey Bhuz, couldn't think of anywhere else to pose this question:

If you had a sword dance song sandwiched between two zill songs, would you just suck it up and keep the zills on? I have a bellygram coming up and I like where the song is, like the songs before and after and really don't want to change the order. I've practiced and besides an occasional 'ding!' I can keep the zills out of the way. What do you think? Should I just ditch the zills at the sword point and not use them after?

In case anyone's wondering, I'm using the Eddie 'The Sheik' Strictly Bellydance CD (volume 6). I'm totally addicted to it!

yep....we use a song with a taxim to get zills off..stack them finger, thumb, thumb, finger ..so they go on faster ...song can have a tax ending ..or next song has a tax to get them back on

LOL @ 'Sword Face.' Expression is almost as important as the dance, isn't it?

Just going to agree that, so long as you are comfortable and confident doing so, then leave them on.

I've even zilled my sword (gently) in the past

We worked on zilling while sword-ing (ZWS, no fines but may earn extra ooohhs aahhs and tips) in class a while back.

I remember my teacher saying that the layering aspect impresses people more so than zilling or sword alone. Something about the audience assumes you can't catch the sword if it slips with the zills on.

My advice is practice, with the zills on 'regular' and twisted. If you aren't comfortable don't do it, it will likely show on your face.

I have to disagree with those who are encouraging playing zills while doing sword. I don't agree that you have to do a whole bunch of simultaneous tricks in order to impress an audience. Skillful dancing is more important than doing tricks for tricks' own sake. Remember, just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.

Think of it this way: are you doing a dance, or are you doing a novelty act?

Great advice from all the above. My preference is to take them off and keep them separate but no harm in keeping them on. My only caution would be the space in the "venue" with sword. While that's always a concern, if you have zills on and limited space, if *god forbid* you have a slipsy moment, re-adjusting the sword I imagine would be a rather *loud one. I don't know, just make sure you're 100% comfortable with both separately before you combine them (even if it just means wearing them). :)

Originally Posted by Monica

Have and would. I don't do sword much anymore, but it was a requirement at a few places I used to work, and most of us always left our cymbals on for sword (and often played them while balancing things). In my experience it was standard for the old-style American Cabaret 5 part routine, and with Eddie the Sheik you, your sword, and your zills will be just fine!

Yup.

Mom kept her zills on for everything, and played them (as appropriate) with everything. I recall her doing floor work with a sword, coming up on one knee, posing for a moment while she did head slides with the sword on her head and zilling away.

Yup. It works. Definitely.

Deborah
(who doesn't use sword because it's very painful for her neck, and doesn't do floorwork because -- well -- she really can't.

Is it easy really to dance with swords?

Originally Posted by imran

Is it easy really to dance with swords?

No, it's not easy, but with lots and lots of practice you can make it look easy :)

I have to agree with Asra...it is definitely no easy, as illustrated by my bungled up practice session yesterday. There are many factors: the balance site (my hair was too slick, sword kept sliding), how you're feeling (felt out of sorts, balance was off) and sometimes even the prop is off (methinks one of my sons had been playing with my sword, they won't 'fess up). It is very difficult to get past all these less than stellar factors and make it look lovely.

Incidentally, dancing with the sword, zills on is going surprisingly well. It's dancing with my veil, zills on that's giving me fits!

Originally Posted by tahiradancer

I am sure that Cory will tell you that you never take your zills off during a performance. And I agree overall. If you are worried about catching the sword or dinging too often, take a moment and twist the zills so they are away from your palm. It's aestitically not that beautiful, but in my expeience, most of your audience is going, "WOW!!! LOOK AT HER AND THAT SWORD!!!!" And won't really notice the zills.

{{{HUGS}}}

i take them off for sword...i have found out on bhuz, our sword is not the norm. useing a piece such as "dance for the king" abdo, has music to take off and put back on..and yes, my zills are on for veil, shamadon, tray....if i cut many of our sword moves, perhaps i could leave them on.