Which is the “Right” Way to Play? Zilling Hand Pattern Rules

Does whether you are right-handed or left-handed matter when it comes to playing finger cymbals?

Should every pattern start with your right hand and then alternate? What if you’re a lefty?

Have you ever notated a pattern R R RLR R RLR, and then got home and had no idea how to play it?

These questions are ones that confuse a lot of dancers when it comes to playing their finger cymbals.

****

Get a rock-solid foundation for your finger cymbals practice so you can feel confident and competent on the dance floor. Join me free “ZillStar” course now and become the zillstar you are meant to be!

http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

****

Believe it or not, there was a time in the history of our art form when hand patterns were mandated by teachers, and only certain methods of playing were allowed.

Though this is changing, there still remains a lot of confusion as to which hand to use at what point within a finger cymbal pattern.

In this video I am here to demystify the best way to pattern your hands when playing the finger cymbals and to call total BS on hard and fast rules that require everyone to play the same way.

So whether you are right-handed, left-handed, or somewhere in between this video will break down the ways you can choose to approach your zills so that you can find the best method for your practice.

Want to know the most common way that dancers play their zills? ​Cast your vote in my completely non-scientific poll inside the Zillicious online community here!

Get a rock-solid foundation for your finger cymbals practice so you can feel confident and competent on the dance floor. Join my free “ZillStar” course now and become the zillstar you are meant to be!

http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Zillstar

Belly Dance Advanced Shimmy Layers Drill

In this video you will learn a fabulous dance exercise designed to help you strengthen your shimmy layering technique.

http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips

By drilling the Egyptian and Hip Shimmy mindfully in this way you can quickly train your body to create seamless shimmies no matter where your weight lies – which is the secret to strong, confident and effortless shimmy layers.

Let’s do it!

*****

Do you sometimes struggle with keeping your shimmy relaxed, big and even?

Check out this FREE masterclass that will show you 5 simple tips that will revolutionize the way you create your shimmies, allowing you to discover your most delicious and reliable shimmy.

http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips

*****

Special thanks to Rom Ryan and Moodafaruka for the music used in this video. Learn more about them and support them online at http://Moodafaruka.com

Free Community + Belly Dance Tips = A More Confidently Dancing You!

 

 

Hey, gorgeous dancer!

 

Did you know there’s a free online community just for you where belly dancers come together for connection, support, and dance inspiration?

 

Welcome to The Shimmy Society! It’s a fabulous gathering spot where dancers like you can chat, share practice videos, and find motivation with others who love this art form as much as you do!

 

👉 Join us here: SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmySociety

 

Inside, I’m sharing tips, tricks, and tutorials that you won’t find anywhere else! This video is a sneak peek of one of those sessions, where I break down belly dance layers with a special method that will allow you to dance with confidence and ease.

 

Come be a part of this supportive, joyful community—join us for free at The Shimmy Society today!

 

👉 SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmySociety

Are you ever “too old” to belly dance professionally?

 

Are you ever “too old” to belly dance?

 

In an earlier conversation you told me loud and clear that there is no upper limit when it comes to age and belly dance. And I am totally with you! This is a folkloric dance for every age and every body, and a powerful way to find more confidence and self-expression.

 

Now let’s talk about another aspect of belly dance – the professional performance realm.

 

I personally performed professionally in nightclubs, restaurants and private events for about 20 years – from age 23 to 43.

 

Why did I stop? Well, the answer might surprise you. I was pretty confident when I made the move at the time, but what’s happened since then has surprised me and even led me to wonder if I may have sold myself short.

 

So let’s chat about age and belly dance in the professional realm. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

 

Are you performing professionally as a belly dancer? When do you think you might retire from the restaurant circuit? If you have already stopped, at what age did you stop and why? Let’s keep the conversation going.

Frustrated by inconsistent shimmies? I was too… until I discovered this.

 

It’s kind of embarrassing to admit, but I’m being honest here because maybe you can relate.

I used to have a terrible shimmy.

I mean – my shimmy seriously sucked, and I struggled with it for years, even after I was working full-time as a professional belly dancer. My shimmy was small, unreliable, lop-sided and would start and stop at the most inconvenient moments. I was nervous on stage when it was time to shimmy and I felt like a total imposter in my dance!

After almost twelve years of struggle I finally made a breakthrough! (Several, actually…) I am thrilled to report that my shimmies today are strong, reliable and so much fun to perform… and I feel much more confident on stage.

It’s a whole new world for me and my dance.

http://SahiraBellyDances.com/ShimmyTips

I see fabulous dancers struggle with their shimmies all the time, and since sharing these breakthroughs with my students I can see the improvements in their shimmies too. And not just that – they also feel better and more confident about themselves and their dance.

 

I’ve taken these breakthroughs and created a special FREE TUTORIAL to help you unlock your most confident shimmy too – just head over to Sahira Belly Dances – Shimmy Tips to get it.

I can’t wait to see what you do next!

 

*****

The music played in this video is by the amazing Miss Thea. Support her and get her music at Miss Thea on Band Camp.

Which finger cymbals in my giant collection are my favorites? The answer might surprise you.

 

I own a lot of finger cymbals.

I mean a LOT.

I have collected over 20 sets of zills over the last two decades and consider myself a bit of a zill aficionado.

While I have played all of the cymbals in my collection, I do not regularly play them all. (In fact, there are a few sets I keep around just as loaners for my students.)

Want to know which of the cymbals in my vast collection are the best of the best? Maybe get an idea of which cymbals you’d like to for yourself?

In this video I’m giving you the nitty gritty on my top 5 favorite cymbals – what they sound like, what I like (and sometimes what I don’t like) as well as a bit of compare-and-contrast between them.

So whether you are a total zill geek (like me!) and love to learn about and listen to finger cymbals, a new dancer looking to make an educated choice for your first set of zills, or a seasoned pro ready to add to your collection, dive in with me here as I take you into my studio and share with you the five best cymbals in my collection.

See something here that you like? Get a set of your very own at http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

Watch Sahira plays all the Saroyan Zills!

Dance to the beat of your own drum! Advanced Zills with Belly Dance – Totally Triplets Combination

 

We don’t just dance… we also make the music that inspires the movement. And that, my friend, is pretty freakin’ incredible!

There is nothing quite as powerful as having total control over what is played as you dance. No questioning what that crazy drummer might dream up next…. just you and your finger cymbals creating the party.

So are you ready to make some magic? Today I’m sharing with you the companion dance combination for the ​”Totally Triplets” zill riff​ you can also find here on my channel. (Learn it here: Advanced Finger Cymbals (Zills) Combination | Totally Triplets)

We’ll be using three different zill sounds – The Basic, the Clack and the Tick. Utilizing more than one sound with your finger cymbals is key in making dynamic and engaging rhythmic patterns! If you’d like more instruction on how to beautifully create these sounds, check out my tutorial here: Finger Cymbal Basics – The Four Basic Sounds

Now just because I said this is so much fun does not mean that it is easy! In fact, the best things in life are those that create enough challenge for you to grow. So I invite you to take up that challenge now and give it a try.

Practice nice and slow, and take a quick video of your practice today so you can compare it to your practice of this same combination a couple of weeks from now. If you’re not setting yourself up to see progress, your practice can become quite frustrating. So set yourself up to grow and win now!

Are you ready to find incredible confidence and creativity in those cymbals and take your zilling to the next level? Let’s do it!

Join the Finger Cymbal Revolution: SahiraBellyDances.com/Revolution

*****

Get your very own pair of the best zills on the planet here: http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

 

I got rid of my apartment and slept in a tent so I could belly dance full time.

 

 

I don’t talk about this often.

Partially because I never thought anyone would want to listen 😝…but also because I didn’t think it was all that unique until recently.

A member of The Belly Dance Journey asked me how I started dancing. It’s a bit of a story to be sure, but she really wanted to know – so I shared – not only about my first-ever belly dance class experience, but how I made it my full-time work without ever really planning to.

This strange journey involved me sleeping in my tent, selling jewelry at a Renaissance Festival, living part-time in a friend’s garage, putting everything I owned into storage, dancing at The Dancing Pig Pub, dancing in the dirt, sleeping in a small wooden box, and not having enough money to pay rent for over two years.

It’s been quite a journey y’all. And I’m finally ready to share the story with you.

It’s been a crazy ride for sure. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thank you for letting me share my story, and thank you for being a part of this journey. I love sharing the dance floor with you!

Belly Dance Lessons – Advanced Finger Cymbals (Zills) Combination | Totally Triplets

 

Have you ever been in one of those situations where the music fails you?

I have. Too many times to count. In the two decades I spent dancing at restaurants, night clubs, private parties and even big stage events, I cannot even begin to count the number of times something went wrong with the music.

That’s how my exploration into acapella finger cymbal composition began. (Necessity is the mother of invention, isn’t it after all?)

Years later I am totally obsessed with making my own music to dance too, and I even do it when the sound system is working just fine. (Crazy, I know!) But it’s the ultimate freedom for sure…and I’m never worried about something going wrong with the music anymore.

Would you like to experience that same incredible freedom? Then put on your zills and let’s rock!

To play this riff you will need to be familiar with the following zill sounds – The basic, the tick and the clack. You can learn all of them here: Finger Cymbals (Zills, Sagat) – Four Basic Sounds

Once you nail down this fabulous riff, I invite you to play with putting some movement to it!

 

****

Like it, love it, want more of it, zillstar? I invite you to join me online for my Acapella Finger Cymbal Foundations, a comprehensive zill course where you will take what we’ve done here to the next level and learn to create your very own acapella finger cymbal riffs and combinations.

http://SahiraBellyDances.com/Acapella

Use the code ZILLY15 for 15% off the course when you join me now.

*****

Get your very own Saroyan Ghawazees too! The BEST zills on the planet!

http://SahiraBellyDances.com/SaroyanCymbals

 

 

Learn to break down belly dance layers in a way that makes sense with this tutorial!

 

 

Layering of more than one movement together is a hallmark of fabulous belly dancing. But this advanced concept is often very intimidating and confusing for people who are new to the idea.

In this video I’m going to share with you a way to banish layering confusion as you learn to tackle your belly dance layers in a new, step-by-step, and incredibly practical way.

This incredibly simple yet effective building block methodology allows you to approach layers from many different angles and get to success more quickly.

So tie in your hip scarf and let’s tackle some beautiful belly dance layers together!

*****

Dive deeper into your belly dance layers with “Luscious Layers” – a 4-part online workshop that will expand on the concepts here, teach you several more layering tips and tricks and leave you with an awesome new combination to show off your layering skills.

http://SahiraBellyDances.com/layers

For a couple days only (until 9/20/24), I’m offering you this course at 45% off the usual price with this special code: LUSCIOUS-45

*****

Special thanks for the fabulous Miss Thea for the music used in this video. Support her on Bandcamp here: Missthea.bandcamp.com/track/egyptian-drum-mix