ELSA LEANDROS ZILL WORKSHOP :: tanna

Last Saturday the walls of Room 4F at 440 Studios in NYC reverberated with the sound of 13 pairs of zills striking in (near) perfect harmony.  The occasion, of course, was Elsa Leandros' Zill Technique workshop.

A master zill player as well as a master zill teacher (and those two skill sets do not always come in one package!) Elsa utilized a very efficient lesson plan.  Attendees were introduced to the rythmns while seated, and with a carefully designed hand-out to assist them.  After some drilling, they were then given the option of incorporating dance steps with the zill patterns, or remaing seated to perfect their playing.

The workshop participants were an enthusiastic and hardworking group who were not afraid to ask pertinent questions and seek clarification when in doubt.  Elsa's teaching style included a strong dose of humor, and there were frequent outbursts of laughter during the afternoon.

Having studied with Elsa for several years I am perhaps biased in my very high opinion of her zill-teaching skills.  However, since the single recurring complaint was "I wish the workshop was longer!", the very nice and dedicated dancers who participated in this training would seem to agree with me.