Traditionally, veils in the Middle East were (and still are) regarded as a modesty garment worn to shield respectable Moslem women from the prying eyes of male strangers, and there fore would not have been used for performance.

Dancing with veils is a 20th century invention, started by misconceptions about the sensuous origins and meaning of the dance and the influence of Hollywood. Egyptian & Lebanese dancers rarely incorporated major veil work into their performances, as it would be considered unthinkable to use a veil as a prop.

The popularity of veil use has mainly come from American Oriental dancers in the 1950's & 60's, and has now spread to the UK and Europe.

There are several different styles and shapes of veil: circular, half circle, butterfly, and oblong, and these can be made from a variety of different fabrics.

The main reason to use a veil is to give dramatic effect and to accent moves, and the movement of the veil creates a beautiful spectacle. Most veils are lightweight, and are made of chiffon, voile, silk, and tissue. These fabrics will float and move gracefully, whereas a veil made out of say, metallic Lycra will need greater effort on behalf of the dancer to create effects.

Some veils are decorated with sequins and beads, and these will obviously affect the way they move, and you also need to be aware that decorations may flip into the face of a member of your audience, or into their meal, if you are dancing in a restaurant!

Turkish dancers wear veils attached to a headdress and their fingers with elastic loops, and often enter also playing the zils at the same time!

Most western belly dancers will tend to simply hold the veil in both hands, a few inches in from the outer edge.

One useful way to hold your veil is to put the edge between your first and second fingers, grasping it with finger and thumb on one side and your other three fingers on the other. Allow the veil to 'swag' a little in the centre, so it is not held taut.

A useful tip is to mark where you like to hold your veil with coloured thread or a bead, so if you put it down or lose hold of it you can easily pick it up again in the right place.

Practise walking and dancing around with your veil to see how it moves, and find out how it's particular shape works with various manoeuvres.