Prop Control
By: Donna
Professional Oriental Dancer/Instructor
How many times have you seen a great Belly Dancer do a prop show and thought “she is such a good dancer why all the props?” I have seen several very good dancers use an over abundance of props, but I have also seen many not so good dancers mask their inabilities with too many props. When performing a show whatever your setting or genera, assuming the customer didn’t request a specific type of show, you should rarely ever perform with more than 3 props at a time. I was at a restaurant and saw a dancer come out with Isis Wings, veil, veil around her neck, fan veils, sword, candle tray and zils – whoa too many props for a 15 minute show! Not to say all dancers, but many times if you see a dancer with so many props for one show she is more than likely trying to hide the fact that she can’t dance that well or doesn’t have the energy to perform a dance routine for the required length of time. Too many props take away from the show and don’t allow you to actually dance. Prop queens can be found in any type of show and usually have the false impression that the more props you can use the better belly dancer you are. The simple fact is that props should add to your show not become the show. Some of the best dancers truly dance without more than one or two props and sometimes none. A performance by a prop queen will always suffer in comparison to a performance by a truly remarkable dancer.
Learning props is a tedious and long process that can takes years of skill and lessons to execute within a performance correctly. Certain props can even be very dangerous, such as the sword or fire, to the dancer and her audience. Learning how to move properly and safely with any prop should be a priority if you choose to dance with them, however, props should not over take your show. They should also flow with your show and not cause pauses or breaks throughout your routine. A veil can easily be tossed in the middle of a routine and even look graceful while doing it, zils can be removed and set down with very little disturbance of the show, a sword can be careful set down in a safe place away from audience members, fan veils can be set aside with ease, candle trays can be set down with carefully orchestrated choreography and even Isis Wings can be removed as part of the show. Trying to rid yourself of all these props in one show will only look sloppy and unbalanced. Too many times I have seen dancers stop in the middle of their show and remove props – this looks unprofessional. You also need to be very careful of where you set dangerous props, like the sword and candle trays, down.
Adding props to your performance is a great flare but try not to rely on them like they were a crutch. Sometimes props will just not work correctly with your routine and behave incorrectly. If you feel your sword slipping from your head it is okay to readjust it rather than let it fall to the ground. If you find that the sword is simply not staying on top of your head, it may be a better idea to put it down that night and continue with your show lest it fall and possibly injure you, an audience member or damage the setting. When working in a troupe it is much harder to lose your sword if you are having prop trouble but it is still a better idea to put a hand up and readjust the sword to give it more stability then let it fall in the middle of a performance.
Try not to forget that you are still a dancer and should dance with your prop not just focus on the prop. If you can’t balance a sword or candles on your head and still dance, do not use the prop in your show until you can. Simply putting a tray or sword on your head and walking around is not dancing or exciting. If you walk out with a veil and can only use it while you’re standing still it might be that you need more lessons. A veil should be like an extension of your costume or even a partner you are dancing with, it should not take over the whole show. The number one prop I see overused and abused is the tray of candles. A dancer lights the candles and puts a tray on her head then stands there or just slowly walks around. As a belly dancer you are a dancer first and foremost, if you can’t dance but can do prop work well you should take more lessons to improve your dance skills. We are all students of dance no matter how much experience we have. Wait until you have mastered the prop along with your dance before incorporating it into your dance. You need to have the ability to move flowingly throughout your performance regardless of your prop choice. Though you may want a wow effect, it will actually have the opposite if you can’t dance along with your prop.
I once saw a fantastic show buy a very well renowned dancer and during her performance her veil was caught on a lighting fixture and she, without missing a beat, tossed the end of her veil she still had in her hand, and went about her show as it nothing had happened. Very few people would have noticed that this performance was flawed as she made the mistake look intentional. She had an entire show planned with her veil but rather than awkwardly struggle she performed without her prop for the rest of the show. Covering up an error can take experience and a great deal of confidence but that ability is needed for all performers. I had attended a workshop that was taught for the solo purpose of covering up mistakes and making them look as flawless as possible. Search your areas workshop for such a class, these skills could always come in useful. Mistakes happen – keep the smile and never stop dancing.
When using a veil if you find you are struggling with it during a show, rather than continue in the struggle try wrapping it around your neck or tossing it to the side. If you lose the end of your veil try going into a spin and finding the end slowly while you are turning. Still can’t find that end? Try letting it gracefully fall to the floor and dance around the veil slowly getting lower to the ground and swoop it up like a dramatic gesture. If you find your veil is caught, rather than struggle or risk possibly tearing the veil just leave it caught and continue your show without it. It is better to improvise than look awkward with a caught piece of fabric.
When playing the zils, I am sure many of us have found there are nights when you are so on beat and other nights where the tune is just not flowing. If you wish to simply stop playing your zils to the melody it is the easiest escape from this prop. If you wish to remove them doing a tight shimmy with your hands behind your back, you can conceal the fact you are removing the zils. I have seen dancers remove their zils and strategically tuck them into their belts or incorporate a way of setting them down quietly on the floor or ledge without the show interruption. Zils are always a great crowd pleaser and a very easy prop to add or get rid of during a show. They add a musical melody to rhythms in the music and are great accents. In turn they can also be one of the hardest props to master. You don’t always need a musical ear to pick up the zils and play, but you do need a good knowledge of the different types of Arabic rhythms or whatever rhythm your music has.
If you are having trouble with your fan veil, which is a fan with a long piece of sheer or light fabric usually about 1.5 meters long attached to the fan, try using it as a veil rather than a fan until you can either get better control over the prop or set it down. If you are very skilled with wrapping techniques you can always wrap the fan veil around yourself and tuck the edge into your belt all the while still dancing. You can also incorporate setting the fan veil down without looking like there is a break in the show. When in doubt with this prop – keeping the fan expanded spin or add a flutter until you can get back into your routine.
The cane dance is a great number usually best performed on stage and is rarely seen with layers of other props. If you are having difficulty with the cane you could try balancing it on your head, arm or waist until you can relax and focus on your routine. I once saw a show where, to end her cane dance, the dancer did a dynamic spin with the cane held outstretched at arm’s length and ended the spin on the floor placing the cane down as she slowly did controlled movements back up to a standing position. If your cane slips from your hand(s) try your best to control the slip into a light movement and just let it toss to the floor as though you meant to do it. You can always pick it up later but the key is to make each movement look intentional no matter how wrong it seems.
Swords can be an eye catching and dangerous show that should be carefully executed with plenty of room away from the audience so they are safe from harm. Even the most skilled professional still must exercise extreme caution when using this prop. A sword is a daring prop that usually is a great crowd pleaser for those who understand belly dance and those who don’t. Using bee’s wax and even hair spray in your hair can help stabilize this prop. You need a perfectly balanced sword in order to position it properly and have it be stabilized. Balancing the sword on your head, hand, chest, waist, leg or even chin takes many skills but try to remember that if the sword (or double sword in some cases) isn’t working out that night, it may be a better idea to put it down. I saw a dancer using a sword spend the entire show holding it and constantly readjusting the prop and it was very distracting. Even a gentleman sitting next to me who had never seen a show before said “man she should just get rid of that it isn’t working – she looks terrible”. Unless you have tried it, appreciation for a sword is hard to come by, but some nights it may just not work and rather than have a show that looks unbalanced and choppy it is better to just get rid of your prop and continue solo. You want your performance to flow without constant stops to adjust your sword. A great trick for a falling sword off you head, which takes amazing practice, is to actually give a little head toss and jump and catch the sword in the air. Be careful when trying this move as the sword, although dull, is still sharp to some degree.
Isis Wings are best done when the dancer has room to literally stretch her wings. They can be striking and crowd awing with their bright colors and light veil like qualities. Even though they are not a traditional prop, they still inspire many dancers to incorporate them in their shows. I have seen performers take out lamps, stage design, waiters, other dancers and even customers with this prop. Getting hit by one of those sticks is never fun and can truly hurt another person plus cause damage to the setting. Try and make sure if you use Isis Wings that you have plenty of room to maneuver or keep your moves tight and controlled without large outstretched spins and dips. Turning the sticks up and spinning tight will still have a great show effect without the worry of injuring any persons or stage design. Using Isis Wings makes for a great photo opportunity as they provide a unique and artist background. A light flutter of the wings with some tight shimmies allows cameras to take pictures of you in a pose while still moving.
Candle trays require a lot of skill and learning. Simply putting the tray on your head and balancing it is not dancing with the prop. Learning the skills and art to this very difficult performance takes a lot of patients and years. You need to be able to still follow the music and perform your show while balancing the fire on top of your head, stomach or chest. If you choose to do performances with fire always confirm with the venue ahead of time that it is safe and okay for you to do your fire show. Also it might be a good idea to ask about damage costs and who is liable if horror of horrors the fire falls and burns the setting (even a minor damage could be costly to the dancer). Any kind of fire performance should be done far enough away from other patrons that no direct harm could come to them. I had the privilege of seeing an amazing show by a dancer in Philadelphia who still danced with her candles and was able to even incorporate the extinguishing of the fire into her show. She made each movement part of the music. I later learned she had scorched the ends of her hair during her amazing show but continued fearlessly as though nothing was wrong. Do be very careful of your hair when using any kind of fire in balancing – especially if you have long hair.
Whatever your prop choice or your skill maybe (including the props not mentioned above) try to make sure, before you perform, you have control over your prop and have had enough lessons to accurately dance while using your prop. After all it is called belly dance not belly prop. Happy Dancing!