Students of The Riskallah Riyad School of Middle Eastern Dance at A Common Ground

This is the first of my belly dance routines. So it will always be special. Many students have performed it either on stage with a group or individually for parties, friends and family. If you want to see it performed at a party for my mother in laws 80th birthday party than click on the video. It starts with a short introduction (choreographed by Riskallah Riyad) and then goes into the veil dance. The piece right after the veil dance is another chorography by Dolores, "Riskallah Riyad." Please don't use her choreography without permission. Thanks. Lorelie's Veil Dance Music: Track 2 Nila Rhumba on Eddie Kockak's Strictly Belly Dancing 6 CD Butterfly your veil Find the center of the veil and place it on your neck so that the veil is now draped over your back and centered on your neck. Next criss cross the veil in the back. Bring the veil pieces under your arms and tuck the right piece into the left hip (about 10 inches up from the edge of the veil) The veil will cross the front of your body from right to left. Now take the left piece and tuck it into the right bra strap. The veil will cross your body from left to right. Your costume should be pretty well covered.   Starting position  Note: this dance can be done as a duet or as a solo. Scroll down to see the solo ending. If you are doing it as a duet than you can experiment with various positions, such as going opposite directions on some of the movements.  Standing with your weight on your right leg with the left leg bent, bend at the waist, your hands are on your knees. Make sure that you don't hunch your back. Your back should be straight, chest out, arms straight As soon as the music starts start the count: 1x8 Slowly start to come up from the starting position to the count of 8 1x8 Slowly walk in a semi circle to the left until you are facing stage right. (As you turn untuck the left veil piece with your left hand.) You should be standing with the weight on your right foot with the left leg bent with your toes pointed and touching the floor. 1-4 Open the veil (holding the corner of the veil in your left hand, you bring the arm in a downward arc to open) 5-8 Then back with a downward arc to bring the veil up in front of your body and over your face. 1x8 Bring the veil slowly down over your face and down your body to about hip level.   1x8 Into a snake hand to bring the veil out toward the audience and open. 1-4 Turn to the right to face the back, at the same time removing the right piece from the left hip with your right hand and immediately bringing it into a tent over your head. 5-8 Step R L R L (When you step R you do a hip push with a dip) 3x8 Continue with the R L R L and the hip pushes while traveling in an oval pattern to face back. If you are dancing with a partner than you would circle around each other back to back. (take your time you have 3 eights to get there. 1-8 Paddle Turn to the right while opening the veil 1-2 Face the front and swoosh the left piece of the veil (the piece that is in your left hand) to the the right across your body* Your weight should be on your right leg with your left leg extended out to the side and your toes pointed. (If you have a partner than one person faces front and one faces back.) 3-4 Swoosh the right piece (the piece that is in your right hand) to the left across your body.* 5 6 7 8 Repeat the above ** sequence You should end up with the right arm across your body. Stay there for the next move. 1-4 Sleeve the veil over your right arm and then open the arm to the right. 5-8 Now sleeve the opposite arm in the same way and open the left arm. Now both arms are open. Sleeving-While holding the veil by the corners arms outstretched, Bring the arm in a tight circle to the back so as to flip the veil piece onto the arm. (so it looks like a sleeve) scroll down to the next photp for an example of sleeving. Or see the video link at the bottom of the page and watch the whole dance. (Dance is done as a solo on the video and is the alternate version of the dance below.) 1x8 Shimmy while bringing both hands under the eyes. This will veil your face except for your eyes. 2x8 Continue shimmy's while you slowly bring the right arm open again and then the left. 1x8 Figure eights. (both arms are open to the sides) 1x8 Ghwazee Hip Walk (also called out up downs) towards the audience with arms open. (starts on the right foot.) 1-2 Pivot on the right foot to face back while unsleeving the veil and pushing the veil out of your hands.(now the veil is just draped over your back.)  3-4 Switch feet  (now you should be on your left foot.) 5-8 Walk R L R L with an attitude. Pivot around to face the front on the last step 1-4 Walk forward R L R L  5-8 Kashlimar to the left with a hip push (Facing the left diagonal step forward R then back L Back R Forward L) 1x8 Turn to the right as you remove the veil from around your neck by grasping the edges of the veil and then bending over On 1 Let the veil drop to the floor but still holding the edges) four extra beats here , just relax and position your hands on the veil if neccesary for these 4 beats. 1x8 Slowly bring the veil up over the front of your body and then over your head on 7-8 (now the veil is behind you, your arms are up and stretched toward the ceiling 1x8 and 1-4 Join with your partner and pinwheel circle. As in the picture at the top of the page ( each person brings their right hand together and travels in a circle so the veils are flowing behind them.) 5-8 Separate from your partner and bring the veil around and over your body to the front (now you should be bent at the waist again, same position as in the start of the dance except facing left diagonal now.   1-6 Bring the veil through your hands  7-8 Flip it up over your shoulder. Walk 1 2 3 4 with a step touch step touch and a little hip lift toward the audience End facing left diagonal Shimmy and then walk off with veil trailing behind you.   Congratulations! You have just completed the first in a series of belly dance routines by Lorelie! Eddie Kochak  website   Really listen to the music and you will see how the steps and moves go with the notes here. Please feel free to use this choreography for classroom or performance. I would appreciate a credit if you do use it as a performance piece and a link to my web site if you use it on your web site. Also feel free to add your own style and steps when performing this dance...

Alternate Solo Ending to Lorelie's Veil Dance After the unsleeving and turning 5-8 Walk away from the audience then turn 1x8 Triplets towards the audience 2x8 Kashlimar to the L then R repeat L R 1x8 Turns to the right, grasp the edges of the veil with your fingertips as you turn and drop veil to floor, still holding the veil. 1x8 Bring veil slowly up your body to frame your face.Your arms will be stretched towards the ceiling. 1x8 Travel forward and then back, letting the air catch under your veil. Catch the veil onto your neck. (THE MOVE) To those of you who take classes with Dolores or Lorelie, you know the move. 1x8 Figure eight the hips while sleeving the veil. 1X8 Walk towards the audience and find someone you would like to swoosh the veil to.  You can see the dance on YOUTUBE as well as other belly dance routines. The youtube version starts out with an introduction dance that was choreographed by Dolores "Riskallah Riyad" and ends with another choreography by Dolores"Riskallah Riyad" Please do not use Dolores's choreography without her permission. Thank you. Egyptian Super Model Dance As Performed by The Graceful Planet Belly Dance Students. The second in a series of belly dance routines by Lorelie. Music- Belly Dance Party, Isis & The Wings of Isis - Tabla Competition (Nezrana's Drum Solo) This dance was choreographed for a group number. The more dancers the better. We had six students who ultimately decided to go for it and do the recital.   CONGRATULATIONS Graceful Planet Dancers!!! The attitude is - You guessed it like a Super model. Pretend you are on a cat walk and you are the most beautiful creature on earth. You are showing off your gorgeous sequined coin designer costume. You are all that and more!!! Thats what the audience wants to see, So let's give them what they want girls!!!! Prepare for number 2 in a series of belly dance routines... Starting from upstage back corners, the dancers start with a super model walk after holding the first 8 counts. The first two dancers enter on the second 8 and the dancers behind them start every 4 count.  Dancers will walk in is a bow tie pattern, criss crossing each other as they make their way to each corner of the stage. Their is a total of 7-8's and 1-4 for the dancers to get to their places. Dancers form a semi circle, with two dancers centered and back.The end dancers are closest to the audience. 2-8 of Kashlimar greeting step- First one starts on the R foot but goes left diagonal. second goes to the right diagonal but starts on the L foot. 2-8 Repeat Kashlimar but with a hip out, again starting on the left diagonal (one hand on the hip going out the other hand on the head)  *1-8 Hip outs facing forward RLR,LRL R,L R shimmy  (count goes 1&2, 3&4, 567 shimmy on 8) *1-8 Hip outs same but starting on the opposite hip - LRL,RLR, LRL shimmy *Repeat to the R *Repeat to the L 1-4 shoulder shimmy with a dip to the right - chest lifts. 1-4 repeat on the other side 1-4 Repeat R side 1-4 Repeat L side -but no chest lift on this one. 1-7 of hip outs on the beat turning in a circle to face back (sort of a paddle turn to the R ) 1-10 forward part of a big hip circle (7 of the ten beats) from R to L . Arms follow the movement, look over your left shoulder and do 5 hip drops (you will hear it in the music)  *Note: This is an odd count , it only happens on the first one. 1-8 Repeat but opposite direction 1-8 Repeat again to the left 1-8 Repeat again to the right You are still facing back, go right into the front back backs, as you move toward upstage (rear of stage)  4-8 Front Back Backs starting on the R foot. RLR L R   (Walk forward on the R foot, back wards on the L back on the R  walk forward again on the L R.  The count is (1&2  3  4  5&6  7 8) Form a straight line by the time you reach the last 8 count. Turn to face front 4-8 Super model steps start on right foot, R L R Pivot to face back , Pivot to face front. Dancers are traveling towards the audience (Downstage) In a Line.... 4-8 Hip drops starting on the left hip traveling backwards away from audience (Upstage) This is done with the arms up and beckoning with the hands. Still in a straight Line. 1-8 Rib cage slides -  R L R L    RLRL    R L  (*Count goes 1 2 3 4  5&6&  7 8) 1-8 Dancers turn diagonally towards each other, Right half of the line up turns to the left diagonal and Left half of the line up turns to face Right diagonal. Chest lifts and drops.  Chest lifts and drops - Up  Down  Up  Down,   Up,Down,Up,Down,    Up  Down  (*Count is the same as above) 1-8 Still in the diagonal position - Hip downs, as you dip down and then hip ups as you come back up out of the dip. (Hand on working hip) Other hand on head. 1-8 Face Front - Hip outs R L R L   RLRL   R L (same count as chest lifts) 2-8 Out up Downs (Ghwazee Hip Walk) towards the audience (downstage) Arms come up slowly 2-8 Out up Downs away from audience (upstage) Arms come down slowly 1-8 Face right diagonal for Arabic hip drop, kick. (Upside down U with a kick) 1-8 Shimmy hips, Shimmy shoulders 1-8 Repeat other side 1-8 Hop to face stage right shimmy, shoulder shimmy lean towards audience 1-8 Hop to face back with a shimmy , 7&8 look over your shoulder at the audience and do hips out - RLR 1-8 Hope to face stage left shimmy lock with hands pushing, as if to say stop. 1-8 Hope to face front shimmy Lock but this time cover your chest with your arms criss crossed 1-8  Shimmy and again lock with hands up (stop) 1-8 Finale. Drums (do whatever you feel here and then POSE on 9 !) Ending still in a line, Each Dancer does a different pose at the end, Of their choice. But Definitely SUPERMODEL-LY!!! Feel free to use the belly dance routines, I would appreciate credit and a link to my web site if you do use it in a recital or otherwise. Thanks Lorelie