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About
veils
This is information on veils from my own experience and
advice I have gleaned from the internet; there are great resources on the
internet if you wish to do your own additional research. Here are the answers to
some of the questions I receive from my students.
What materiel should
you use for your veil?
Well it really depends on what you want to do with it and
your level of skill. Any lightweight floaty fabric will work in theory; however,
ultra light fabrics are more difficult to work with, while heavier fabrics take
more strength. Common fabrics used include silk, chiffon, organza, tissue lame
and I’ve even heard of velvet for outside use. I have a pair of half circle
veils (see shira.net for
instructions on how to make one) that I made out of lining weight satin that
work well.
What weight of silk
should you get?
Silk is measured in momme (mm) with the smaller the number
the lighter the silk. I would not recommend anything heavier than 8mm unless you
are planning on doing outside veil work, even then I wouldn’t go over 10mm. 5 or
6mm is much lighter in weight, almost sheer, and good for slow floating veil
work. It does not work well for uses where you want to be able to whip it
around. Also, the lighter silk weights have more of a tendency to have static
problems than the heavier weights.
How do you get rid of
static?
First, don’t store your veil in a plastic bag, it will make
the static worse and the silk needs to breathe. Second, don’t use a dryer sheet
or static guard on silk as it can cause stains and the chemicals break down the
silk fibers. Hanging your veil in the bathroom while you shower or near a home
humidifier should help with static. Also, using your veil helps as your skins
oils are released to the veil it helps decrease the static. Or you can try
running your veil over a metal hanger. Finally, you can try a new trick I’ve
heard of but not tried, using one of the new ionized hair dryers that are
supposed to help with static in hair, on the veil.
What size veil should
you get?
Generally, you hear 3 yards by 45 inches for a rectangular
veil. However, if you are making one yourself you can make it to your own height
and arm width. You want the veil to be just above ankle length when you hold it
in front of you and to extend 12-18 past each hand when your arms are
outstretched. Other standard veil sizes I have seen are 36x90, 45x90, 45x144,
54x108 and 54x144. The larger veils sizes allow for some interesting tricks, but
should really be only used in very light material and even then left to advanced
veil users. A true semi-circular veil is either 45x90 or 54x108 both work
equally well for double veil, the smaller size is easier for shorter dancers to
use, while the larger size gives you some extra length for things like trying to
recapture the end after you have let it go in either one handed moves or double
veil.
What shape veil
should you get?
There are four different shapes of veil I have heard of, the
most common is rectangular. You can do almost everything with a rectangular
veil, though there are double veil and one handed moves which really only work
well with semi-circular veils. If you are getting your very first veil, start
with a rectangle in either chiffon or 8mm silk. Rectangular with rounded corners
is what you get if you have a quasi-semi-circular veil which is not twice as
long as it is wide. Semi-circular veils are true semi circles, twice as long as
they are wide. This is the shape that works best for one handed non-twisted veil
work and for double veil. The third shape I have heard of but never seen – it is
2/3 circular – my understanding is it is like a circle skirt that is missing the
last of its three panels. I have never tried using it and I am not certain
exactly what kind of veil work it would work best for.
Should you get a veil
with trim?
Trim adds weight to the edge of the veil and changes how it
flows through the air. It is useful for semi-circular veils since so much is
done one handed and it allows you to know which edge you are grabbing without
looking. One thing about trim is if it is something hard, you want to be very
careful you don’t accidentally hit yourself or someone else with the veil as it
may hurt.
Choosing the right veil for yourself is a personal choice. I
own rectangular veils in organza, chiffon, 5mm silk and 8mm silk, I also own
semi-circular veils in satin and silk and in two different sizes. They are all
good for something and often the veil I choose is dictated by the moves I want
to use and the type of music I will be dancing to. I personally don’t think you
can have too many veils!
E-mail Huraiva at huraiva@huraivaalimah.com
