Improvisation of a different kind

TABLA Bellydance loves to improvise to live music, but Zohra takes it to a whole new arena. Here she shares some of her efforts at bringing things together to make something new and amazing, and amazingly useful. You might find some inspiration from her creative efforts, or as she puts it “making stuff up to see if I can”.

The tambourine

When TABLA began exploring dancing with tambourines, we hadn’t yet found a decent supplier for the instrument. So I went to the bargain shop and bought hob covers (the old-fashioned things that one can put over hot plates), bells and hooked loops (like the ones on wine charms) and after a bit of work with a hole punch, created some ‘practice’ tambourines.

They sound awful, but they gave us something to work with until we were able to find actual tambourines that we liked.

Hob covers - not just for the kitchen

The zills

No, not the actual zills. The straps. The idea came from another dancer who uses bra strap slides to tighten the zills to her fingers. Brilliant idea. When I contemplated this, I realised that I didn't have elastic of the right width for the slide I had. Then it occurred to me – use the old bra strap you just took the slide off.

Don't throw those old bras away!

There's more in Zohra's craft box ("Box? Who has just one box?") - Next time - set lists, sticks and seats.