Ask Janie
This is a new column where you email me your questions
at janie@designsbyjanie.com
and I will answer a few of them each issue.
What Zills do you recommend for a little more than beginner? And how
do I do the elastic? Mandy from Chicago
I recommend the
Arabesque zills from Saroyan Mastercrafts. They are not too small,
but not too big for the new and relatively new zill player to handle. I
used to carry them on my web site, but with the fluctuating metal prices I
just can not keep a steady stock price. So just go straight to the source
and order them on the web site.
To get the best and clearest bell sound feed your
elastic down from the top through one hole and then back up through the other,
this leaves the bell free to ring. Now measure the elastic so they fit
tight on your finger and/or thumb, so you don't loose them. You can
pin them in place with a small safety pin if you like. I prefer to
sew them and then cut most of the excess off. You can now decorate the
sewn ends if you like. The decoration can also serve a second purpose,
if you only put the decoration on say the zills for the middle finger (or
thumb as you prefer). In this way you can put your zills on fast and
easy in the middle of a performance.
Should I wear shoes to dance? Sally from Montana
Well this is a personal choice type of thing and
people will argue both sides. Many people prefer to dance barefoot,
because they feel more grounded and feel more in control. I am one
of them. But when I danced regularly, I always carried ballerina slippers
or a comfortable pair of sandals in my dance bag, just in case the floor
was icky. If you don't know the kind of floor you will be dancing on,
wear shoes. I also think you should wear shoes, if you are dancing
outside. There are just too many things out there in the outdoors that
can hurt your feet. When wearing
a high style Cabaret costume, ballroom heels can really accent the costume.
Character shoes can also accent a Tribal outfit.
If you Google "dance shoes", I'm sure you will find a wide assortment. It
is just a good practice to have a pair of comfortable shoes in your dance
bag, just in case.