Module Four: Basic Veil

Egyptian: With palms facing upwards and keeping your elbows down and close to your side, raise both hands until just below shoulder level. Your elbows will move away from your sides as the arms are raised.

Duniya: In the Arabic and Hindi language, Duniya means ‘world’ and it therefore a wonderful adjective of this movement. With your left arm our to the side, sweep the right arm horizontally in front of your head and around the back of your head, moving your arm all the way around until comes back to the right side. Repeat on the opposite side.

Snake: Your shoulders should be relaxed and down, with your arms at your side. This is a 4 part movement that is best thought of as a series of isolations to begin with. Lift your right shoulder up (without hunching), raise your elbow until just below shoulder level and is almost pointing to the ceiling. Leading with the back of your hand, raise your wrist and then uncurl your fingers so that your fingertips point towards the right wall. To reverse this, drop your right shoulder back and down into your start position, let your elbow rotate back slightly as your draw it towards you, dip your wrist towards the floor enabling the palm of your hand to rise slightly with your fingertips pointing diagonally upwards. Remember: Shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers! Repeat this on your left side, and when you feel comfortable, make the movement flow into one.

Hip Work

Figure 8: With your knees bent and feet hip width apart, push your left hip forward to your left diagonal and draw it out and backwards on the left creating a semi-circle. When your hip is centred again, take the right hip forward to the right diagonal and draw it backwards on the right to create a semi-circle. With practice you will be able to isolate this movement so that it stays below the waist.

Travelling Step

Egyptian: Lift your right hip up and as you step forward on your right foot drop your hip back into place. Slide your right hip out to the right side (do not twist) transferring your weight onto the right side. Hitch up your left hip and as you step forward on your left foot drop your hip back into place. Slide your left hip out to the left side, transferring your weight onto the left. Repeat.

3 Point Turn: Standing in basic position step out to the right with your right foot. Twist on that foot turning half way around to the right. Now step on the left foot and twist on it turning around to face the front again. Now step onto the right foot and then touch the ball of your left foot to the floor.

Cross Step: Step your right foot across in front of the left, putting your weight on your right leg and then extend the left foot out to the side. Repeat on the other side. Your knees should be slightly bent as you cross your legs and straighten as you extend your foot.

Veil Basics

Anwar: Hold the veil at the rear and raise your arms above your head in a ‘V’ shape. This of course can be used with the veil on front.

Yashmak Basics: Hold the veil up in front of your nose your and hold the ends in each hand so the veil in kept taught across the bridge of your nose.

Yashmak Cross: Hold the veil at your rear and hold the ends in each hand so the veil is at shoulder level. Bring you’re your hand across to your left shoulder so your elbow faces forward. Swoop the veil back across to your right. Repeat on left.

Shed: Hold the veil at your rear in Anwar Arm position. Bring your right hand in front of you to join the left hand and hold both ends of the veil in your left hand. Slide your right hand across and inside the veil until it reaches the centre section and hold. You can of course do the same thing on the opposite side.

Love Letter: From ‘Shed’, simply lower your hand to your ears so that the top of the veil rests on your head and you can peep though the gap.

Exiting Shed. (There are a number of ways to exit)

1: Drop one end of the veil so the veil stays at your rear and slide your hand across to the end. You can also do this so the veil drops in front of you.

2: Quickly let go of the centre section to grasp the end in your left hand and swoosh the veil open.

3: Turn the veil inside out! Drop the hand that is holding the centre section in front of your face and through the gap at the side just under the opposite hand. This looks spectacular when done quickly or when turning!

Round The World

Right: With the veil at the rear and at shoulder level, extend your left arm out in front of you. Sweep you right arm behind the head and over your left shoulder and over your extended left arm. Keep your right arm extended in front of you and cross your left arm over your right. Continue sweeping your left arm over your right shoulder and around the back of your head as you sweep your right arm back to the right.

Left: With the veil at the rear and at shoulder level, extend your right arm out in front of you. Sweep you left arm behind the head and over your right shoulder and over your extended right arm. Keep your left arm extended in front of you and cross your right arm over your left. Continue sweeping your right arm over your left shoulder and around the back of your head as you sweep your left arm back to the left.

Red Sea: Extend both arms out at shoulder level, holding the veil at the rear. Cross step right and left. To add effect, pause between cross steps.