This year we are focussing a lot on zills in our studio. Zilling is a dying art and many belly dancers are trying to revive it.
Zills is one of my favourite "props" with which to dance. I'm by no means an expert but I really enjoy playing them, and challenging myself and my students. In my research I came across this article: Zill Patterns and Playing Tips.
It starts off by illustrating the proper placement of zills (and how tight the elastics should be judging by the blueness of your fingers). This is followed by an explanation of the basic sounds and an instructional video to show how three different sounds can be used to add a new dimension to your zilling.
Various patterns are written out extensively for thorough understanding. It has a numerical count, finger patterns for both right and left handed people, sound variations, mnemonic phrases for those who struggle with the counts, and a short explanation for which rhythms these pattern can accompany. Along side these patterns are three instructional videos taking you through the basic patterns and easy pattern combinations.
The explanations in this article are simple enough for a beginner with little to no understanding of zills to follow, however some of the counts and mnemonic phrases for the more difficult patterns are harder to discern (unless of course you have experience with these patterns or musical training).
Overall, I think this article is useful for multiple levels. Some of these patterns I had not seen before and am eager to try out. Judging by the shear volume of patterns demonstrated, I'm sure that most dancers will find some new ones to add to their repertoire.
Let me know what you think of this article and/or paste a link to instructional articles and videos on zills that you found useful in the comments.