veils choreography – fall 2021

Ana Fintitharak

Here’s the write up of the choreography for Veils Choreography series, Session #2 (2021). These notes are tentative and will change as the class progresses through the choreography each week. Keep checking back for updates!

SONG: Edited version of “Ana Fintitharak (I Am Waiting For You)” by Ali Saad.

ALBUM: Beata & Horacio Cifuentes presents Oriental Fantasy Vol 6, Flowers of the Orient.

CHOREO: Vanessa Matthews (2021).

DOWNLOAD: available of Vanessa’s Google Drive

Behold! A flawed and sweaty, post-class recording of the choreography from Fall 2021 for reference

music map

TIME SECTION BEATS
0:00 Intro 88 88 88 8
0:36 Chorus A 88 88 88 84
1:13 Taqsim A 88 88 8
1:36 Taqsim B, with drums 88 88 (88)
2:03 Chorus B 88 88 88 84
2:39 Sultry Bridge (88)
2:48 Finale 88 88 88 88 (88)
3:32 End

choreography

This will update after each class with the notes for what was covered that week. Any corrections or changes made in class will take priority over these notes, but also remember that this is YOUR choreography and you can stylize it and add nuances to make it your own. Have fun and play!

(88 88 88 8)

COUNTS CHOREOGRAPHY
open = Begin on R side of stage, with wrap grip in R hand (normal placement), veil wrapped around back, and just a little of the remaining tail over R thumb to make Envelope Wrap around body. Face SR with R arm up in front of you, L arm out of Envelope but up next to R arm.
1234 = Travelling backward to SL, step RLRL as L arm sweeps circling down and out.
56 = Step RL while pivoting to face DSL as you turn your body within the Envelope and lower R arm, keeping the Envelope taught around torso so it doesn’t drop. The L arm sweeps out straight in front of you so your arms are in a horizontal line.
7 = Facing DSL with feet together, plié with gaze down and a soft release in L elbow.
8 = Arabesque with R tendue and L arm extended up.
1234 = Walking Turn CCW looking over L shoulder, R arm stretch behind (leaving arm behind you) and L hand floats down to chest.
56 = Sliding L thumb along edge of veil to find position, continue turning.
78 = Open L arm out with veil behind back, end Turn facing front.
12 = Settle and release arms down with soft elbows (gaze down for sass, add small Plié for effect).
3 = Veil Kiss overhead.
456 = Shuffle steps backward allowing head to dip below veil, and veil to float from “behind” to “in front”.
78 = Step forward (as needed) and arms tuck under veil to end with veil in Front Butterfly.
123 = Hip8 Up-R (gaze at hip for extra sass), while hands are palm up and presenting R hip.
4 = Pelvic Circle CW-L (left-front-right-back).
56 = Undulation Up.
78 = Arm Undulation out RL (add torso sway for sass).
12 = Settle and release arms down with soft elbows (gaze down for sass).
&a3 & = Unwind R arm from Butterly.
&a5 & = Unwind L arm from Butterfly (veil in front).
&z7 & = Half Matador CCW/to the L (veil behind).
1234 = Swoopy-Barrel Turn CCW #1 with L hand behind head, R arm extended: accent 1 with R arm down in front, 2 with R arm out to SL (facing back), 3 with R arm up in back, 4 with right arm out to SR (facing front).
5678 = Swoopy-Barrel Turn CCW #2.
123456 = 1.5 Matador CCW/to the L, ending with veil in front; ending with arms down and soft elbows (gaze down for sass, add small Plié for effect).
78 = Veil toss up and over, end with veil behind (arm end high).

(88 88 88 84)

COUNTS CHOREOGRAPHY
123456 = Front & Back Step R-leading to DSL (RLRLRL) with L arm behind head as R arm swoops front and back and front.
78 = R arm “Meat Feather” and both hands straight up overhead, with R Hook Turn CW to end DSR.
123456 = Front & Back Step L-leading to DSR (LRLRLR) with R arm behind head as L arm swoops front and back and front.
78 = L arm “Meat Feather” and both hands straight up overhead, with L Hook Turn CCW to end front.
1 = Heel clunk down, facing front.
234 = Hip shimmy, as R arm opens out and down out to side (L stays straight up overhead) with veil open behind (“sail“).
5678 = Swish R arm to flip sail to front.
1234 = Walking Turn CW with L arm up and R arm wrap behind back looking over R shoulder, end facing front.
56 = Melt veil down in front.
78 = Heart toss.
12 = Butterfly in front AND Arm Wrap (for extra drama).
&a3 & = R Hip8 backward with Jewel (R twist back, pelvic tuck in).
&a5 & = L Hip8 backward with Jewel (L twist back, pelvic tuck in).
(&a)7 & = Unwrap, Unwrap
1234 = R flip/L front, walking turn CCW (over L shoulder).
5678 = Switch to L flip/R front, walking turn CW (over R shoulder)
12 = Switch to R flip/L front and sway to L.
34 = Switch to L flip/R front and sway to R.
5678 = Sparkle on ‘5’, melt for ‘678’. (maybe another Heart?)
1234 = Sparkle on ‘1’, melt for ‘234’. (maybe a full Matador CCW/to the L, ending in front?)

(88 88 8)

COUNTS CHOREOGRAPHY
1 (2&-&4-) = Veil toss up and overhead, let veil melt down behind (arms low).
56 = Weight shift onto R with L taqsim, arms tucked behind hips (examine L hip for sass).
78 = Weight shift onto L with R taqsim, arms tucked behind hips (look up to L side of stage for sass).
1 (2&-&4-) = 1.5 Matador CCW/to the L, ending with veil in front; ending with arms down and soft elbows.
5678 = Chest Circle CCW-F (end F), holding veil low in front.
1& (2&) = Quick chest drop-lift.
34 = Juicy undulation down (really draw it out).
5678 = Taqsim L-R.
12 = Shift weight L and toss veil out L (maybe Arabesque?).
34 = Shift weight R and toss veil out R (maybe Arabesque?).
56 = Bat Wing R.
78 = Walking Turn CCW (over L shoulder) while tucking under L arm so veil ends behind (#Magic!).
1234 = Hip shimmy (with subtle down accents on 1-2-3-4) as arms open out and up.
56 = Hip shimmy slides L-R as arms finish over head (veil behind).
78 = Head/hair toss L-R.

(88 88 (88))

COUNTS CHOREOGRAPHY
1234 = In R showgirl facing DSL with veil on L diagonal behind, Saiidi with R hip (DU-DD-U-).
567 = R hip drop-kick-drop.
8 = Undulation up, veil kiss behind.
1234 = In L showgirl facing DSR with veil on R diagonal behind, Saiidi with L hip (DU-DD-U-).
567 = L hip drop-kick-drop.
8 = Undulation up, veil kiss behind.
1234 = With arms together over head (veil behind) 4x chest drops rotating DSR to DSL.
5678 = Head slides RL-RL-RL-RL, arms open down and out to sides, pivoting to front.
1234 = London Bridge (Matador  CCW/to the L + Under Turn CW/to the R).
5 = R Flip in front.
678 = Walking Turn CCW/to the L.
123 = L Flip (into Butterfly), with hip shimmy.
45 = Inward Fountain hands to unwrap.
678 = Shoulder shimmy.
1234 = Bat Wing R.
5(6)7 = R Rainbow x2.
8 = Half Matador CCW/to the L (veil end behind).

(88 88 88 84)

(same as Chorus A)

(88)

COUNTS CHOREOGRAPHY
1234 = Matador CCW/to the L (as many times as needed to get veil in front).
56 = Bat Wing L.
78 = L hand Reverse Hair-do around back of head, L hand to R shoulder (keep R hand on L shoulder).
12 = Walking 2 steps to DSL, opening arms out behind head (uncrossing veil).
34 = Toss veil up and forward (as in “Intro” section).
567 = Shuffle/Walk backward (3 steps) with shoulder rolls backward RLR.
8 = Toss veil up and behind.

(88 88 88 88 (88))

COUNTS CHOREOGRAPHY
123 = Walking 3 step (eg. RLR).
4 = Pull “free” knee (eg. L) into passé, with Veil Kiss.
567 = Walking 3 step (eg. LRL).
8 = Pull “free” knee (eg. R) into passé, with Veil Kiss.

Repeat walking pattern as much as desired, making your way “off stage” luxuriously.