Are you wanting more opportunities for play and lightness in your life?
Spend a little time with a four-year-old and you’ll see how naturally play comes to them. Give them a prop – and almost anything can become one – and suddenly there’s a new world to explore.
Props can bring that same imaginative spirit into our dancing. Playfulness fuels creativity, experimentation, and ultimately artistry. Sometimes having something new in your hands is exactly what gets you moving or thinking differently.
A well-rounded belly dancer develops skills across the full spectrum of the art form, and that includes props. Veil, zills, assaya, fan veil and other props can add dynamism and depth to a performance while giving the dancer another means of expression.
At their best, props become an extension of the dancer’s body and expression. That kind of ease comes with time; choosing props you enjoy using, practicing with them regularly, experimenting, and figuring out what works for you.
At Sahara Dance, dancers in our upper-level student companies are expected to develop strong facility with zills, veil, assaya and fan veil. These skills stay alive when we use them, so this fall we’re making a point to bring props into our training more regularly.
Props in Your Fall Training
There are a few ways to spend more time with props this semester:
Intermediate 2: Intro to Assaya and Zills – Thursdays with Gretchen
Intermediate 2: Veil – Wednesdays with Nicolette
Raqqesat Tahia – our performance company with a strong focus on prop work
We’ve also revamped our Intermediate 3 and Advanced curriculum to incorporate props more regularly. Instead of learning a prop once and putting it away, you’ll see veil, zills, assaya and other prop work come back into technique classes throughout the season.
If you’re in Intermediate 2 or above, please bring your prop bag to class, including a three- to four-yard silk veil and zills with properly fitted elastic, ready to use.
Don’t have everything yet? We’ve got you covered.
Borrow Props at the Studio
You may have noticed our new Borrow Props Walls in the studios. Veils and assaya are available to borrow during class, so not having a prop with you doesn’t have to mean sitting that part out.
Borrow what you need, use it in class, and return it afterward so it’s there for the next dancer. It’s a tiny props playground.
The more often you pick them up, the more comfortable they become. So bring your prop bag, borrow something from the wall, and see what happens when you give yourself a little room to experiment.