Thread: what else is there....

I feel like i need something new to be invented to keep me interested with props. I have been bellydancing for a long time. i love it. its my life, its my stress and stress relief at the same time. I have been doing it almost every day for the past few years and have done just about every bellydance prop available including fire. What else is out there for me to try??? I just feel like there has to be more. Its all beautiful but theres always another dancer somewhere that has done it and mastered it so what next? Helpful words, thoughts, ideas? I do all sorts of fusion with other dances so its not that issue of branching out either. and yes i get vacation lol.

I know how that is! There are only a finite number of tricks and techniques to learn. Instead of working on a new prop, maybe you might want to work on really honing and refining one thing that you're good at. Or, on the flipside, challenge yourself by improving one of your weaknesses. For me, I've spent several months attacking my drum solo phobia. LOL.

Sometimes, in order to branch out, you have to zero in. If I'm making one iota of sense ,r:;

yah thats what a few of my pals told me last year lol and i worked on it, so my anxiety and stress comes from "now what? what next in props". The dancing i will forever refine and collect. but what about props and trickes. what else lol.

i feel inventors need to start creating something new for bellydance.

Here you go, Princess Rajah from 1904.... grab a chairwith your teeth and swing it around and balance it ... haven't seen that for a while! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcOvl0h5Za8]YouTube - Princess Rajah Dance[/ame]

hahahaha! what in the world....now thats something you definitely dont see everyday! too funny:)

If you are looking for props, the ones I have seen (including fusion performances) and remember right now are:

• Zills/Sagat (are an instrument rather than a prop)
• Veil/Double Veil/Multiple Veil
• Isis Wings
• Scarf
• Cane
• Dagger/Double Dagger
• Sword/Double Sword
• Basket
• Tray
• Bowl
• Water Jug/Jar
• Shamadan
• Fan Veils
• Poi
• Veil Poi
• Hula Hoop
• Whip
• Fire - pot
• Fire - fans
• Fire - hoop
• Fire - fingers
• Fire - palms/candles
• Drum
• Shisha Pipe/Hookah

I may be missing a few in the list since I haven't had my coffee yet. You can also work on a different related dance style for a while if you are looking for variety. Off the top of my head, you can think about spending some time on:

• Egyptian (Classical/Modern/Cairo)
• Lebanese
• Turkish
• Vintage Orientale/Am Cabaret
• Ghawazee
• Saiidi
• Bamboutia
• Nubian
• Khaleegy
• Tunisian
• Schikhatt
• Rrom influence
• ATS/ITS
• Tribal Fusion
• There are lots more, but I am blanking without my coffee LOL

One of the things I love about this dance form is that there is always more to learn. There are so many wonderful varieties in styles, props, and personal interpretations that each performance is an opportunity to see the dance through another lens.

Good luck and have fun! If you run across a new prop or invent one yourself, let us know :)

this summer i think ill have to invent something. I do all those props in the list but three due to personal choice (not my thing for three). I will hopefully have something to contribute soon.

Have you already tried dancing on goblets?



Tasha teaches us about the Glass Dance for the Gilded Serpent


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TiYkF8qQbg&feature=related]YouTube - Tara Star: Glass Goblet Belly Dance II[/ame]

about five minutes into this show she adds the goblets to her sword balance

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90pQ6YcXH8Q&feature=related]YouTube - Vahana's Double Sword and Goblet Dance Improv w/ Sahara Sands Band[/ame]

Adding to Mahsati's list,

-Thai fingers
-Fans (many types)

Don't know if they're considered props, but melaya leff and any skirtwork could be something to work on. Also, maneuvering a veil with zills on your fingers I hear is quite challenging.

thai fingers huh?? must google! now im getting excited:)

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Instead of working on a new prop, maybe you might want to work on really honing and refining one thing that you're good at. Or, on the flipside, challenge yourself by improving one of your weaknesses.

Sometimes, in order to branch out, you have to zero in. If I'm making one iota of sense ,r:;

I like this.

Originally Posted by maurazebra

Here you go, Princess Rajah from 1904.... grab a chairwith your teeth and swing it around and balance it ... haven't seen that for a while! YouTube - Princess Rajah Dance

Wowsers .w.:

thai fingers are pretty much the same as fire fingers. oh boo...i was exctied to see something new but this is a good thing for others to look atif they havent seen it yet thanks so much:)

What about playing spoons?

If you've mastered all these props (really?)...start combining them. Can you zill and veil at the same time?

Voi and hula hoop?

Or are you just looking for a prop NO ONE else uses?

Didn't Petite Jamilla play bagpipes at a BDSS show? How about a didjeridoo?

French horn and unicycle? Really though please don't do voi and hula hoop:) I think that props are awesome and can go a long way to enhance a performance but too much feels like a circus.

What about using standard props in non-traditional ways? E.g. I just watched a sword performance with no head balancing, and very minimal balancing overall. Not what I would have expected, and it was quite a lovely performance.

I do agree that too much prop = circus, but maybe there is something great out there that is (as of yet) undiscovered. Maybe you can use the standard props as a springboard for new ideas? What is fierce and menacing like a sword, but is not a sword? what goes swish, swish like a veil, but is not a veil? what makes music other than zills?

Originally Posted by yaalini

If you've mastered all these props (really?)...start combining them. Can you zill and veil at the same time?

Voi and hula hoop?

Or are you just looking for a prop NO ONE else uses?

Didn't Petite Jamilla play bagpipes at a BDSS show? How about a didjeridoo?

yep i am looking for a prop no one is using. I want something different and unique to diversify what people are accustomed to seeing with dancers but still have a traditional bellydance feel to it.

[QUOTE=dancingstar;648635]What about using standard props in non-traditional ways? E.g. I just watched a sword performance with no head balancing, and very minimal balancing overall. Not what I would have expected, and it was quite a lovely performance.

oh id love to see a video of that!

Let me give you my two cents on Thai fingers...Thais and classical Thai dancers will either be horrified or puzzled to see you belly dance with them! ..g.: There's A LOT of cultural references surrounding Thai fingers and they're regional as well and must be danced to certain types of music and styles so not all Thai dancers just put them on whenever they want to...I'd rather see them not used in belly dance. Most of the time I've seen Fusion dancers use them and they usually use them as "claws"...and it just looks ridiculous to me since you don't use them as "claws" in the regional dances that uses them.

Back to props...

Even though it plays with the gypsy stereotype and I've seen some dancers use them really awkwardly, I think a tambourine can be fun to play with.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nolLaUhx_SM]YouTube - Belly Dance fusion w/ Tambourine by Viktoriya Bellydance[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liMHbLRUGD8]YouTube - Mia Shauri: Belly Dance with Tambourine @ Aziza's Birthday[/ame]

And here's Morgana using a sword but not balancing it:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NPL1wF81eY"]YouTube- Morgana - Solace Live - Belly Dance - Nieblas de Avalon[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VKlskwm378"]YouTube- Yazaman Nuevo Morgana - Danza del Vientre - Belly Dancing[/ame]

Originally Posted by mahsati

If you are looking for props, the ones I have seen (including fusion performances) and remember right now are:

• Zills/Sagat (are an instrument rather than a prop)
• Veil/Double Veil/Multiple Veil
• Isis Wings
• Scarf
• Cane
• Dagger/Double Dagger
• Sword/Double Sword
• Basket
• Tray
• Bowl
• Water Jug/Jar
• Shamadan
• Fan Veils
• Poi
• Veil Poi
• Hula Hoop
• Whip
• Fire - pot
• Fire - fans
• Fire - hoop
• Fire - fingers
• Fire - palms/candles
• Drum
• Shisha Pipe/Hookah

I may be missing a few in the list since I haven't had my coffee yet. You can also work on a different related dance style for a while if you are looking for variety. Off the top of my head, you can think about spending some time on:

• Egyptian (Classical/Modern/Cairo)
• Lebanese
• Turkish
• Vintage Orientale/Am Cabaret
• Ghawazee
• Saiidi
• Bamboutia
• Nubian
• Khaleegy
• Tunisian
• Schikhatt
• Rrom influence
• ATS/ITS
• Tribal Fusion
• There are lots more, but I am blanking without my coffee LOL

One of the things I love about this dance form is that there is always more to learn. There are so many wonderful varieties in styles, props, and personal interpretations that each performance is an opportunity to see the dance through another lens.

Good luck and have fun! If you run across a new prop or invent one yourself, let us know :)

You can borrow from the Greeks and use a hankerchief. Personally, I would go for the chair

I've seen Ozgen dance with a rope.

Originally Posted by gisela

i've seen ozgen dance with a rope.

I loved that one!!

Originally Posted by marsbar

Let me give you my two cents on Thai fingers...Thais and classical Thai dancers will either be horrified or puzzled to see you belly dance with them! ..g.: There's A LOT of cultural references surrounding Thai fingers and they're regional as well and must be danced to certain types of music and styles so not all Thai dancers just put them on whenever they want to...I'd rather see them not used in belly dance. Most of the time I've seen Fusion dancers use them and they usually use them as "claws"...and it just looks ridiculous to me since you don't use them as "claws" in the regional dances that uses them.

Not to get too off-topic, but can you say more about what Thai fingers are, when they are used, and why? I had not heard of Thai fingers before this thread.

ihave done fire fingers. you can youtube them and see what they look like. They are pretty fun but you have to have the rigt type of crowd to do those as they are not kid friendly (think freddy kruger lol).

Marsbar: Thank you thankyou thankyou. I have now decided to take up tambourine! I love the first video you posted big time as the way she holds it is very feminine. thanks so much...i am now inspired. I still wish something new would be invented though lol.

i had the same problem last year. everything has been done to death and i was looking for something new too.

dancing on goblets was recommended to me but i never caught on.

maybe you can try using ostrich feather fans and do like a quasi burlesque belly dance. it's different?!

what i put my energy into was using my skirt as a flirty feminine prop because it's just been forgotten in these new slim egyptian style costumes. a good old karslima is just what you may need to get that inspiration going again.

what about khaleegi? have you mastered using your hair and dress as a prop?

good luck and if you find anything that gets your prop motor running again be sure to let us know.

mahsati! great list! and before morning coffee too!!!

Originally Posted by dancingstar

Not to get too off-topic, but can you say more about what Thai fingers are, when they are used, and why? I had not heard of Thai fingers before this thread.

ฟ้อนเล็บ or literally, "Finger Dance" is a traditional and regional Northern Thai-Lanna dance performed by women, and in the past, only for special occasions such as during a Royal procession. There are very specific movements and costuming elements if one were to perform it authentically.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3myzV3qau0]YouTube - ฟ้à¸*นเล็บ[/ame]