diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
index 1e296c1066..15bde7fe2c 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.cpp
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ void MyAvatar::update(float deltaTime) {
         blend->setAlpha(0.5f * sin(t) + 0.5f);
         */
         t += deltaTime;
-        _animNode->evaluate(deltaTime);
+        _animNode->evaluate(_animVars, deltaTime);
     }
 
     if (_referential) {
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
index c1812a5e96..0adc901398 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MyAvatar.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <Rig.h>
 
 #include "Avatar.h"
+#include "AnimVariant.h"
 
 class ModelItemID;
 class AnimNode;
@@ -315,6 +316,7 @@ private:
     bool _prevShouldDrawHead;
 
     std::shared_ptr<AnimNode> _animNode;
+    AnimVariantMap _animVars;
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_MyAvatar_h
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimBlendLinear.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/AnimBlendLinear.cpp
index 76d92cd264..8ce6845e6f 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimBlendLinear.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimBlendLinear.cpp
@@ -22,22 +22,24 @@ AnimBlendLinear::~AnimBlendLinear() {
 
 }
 
-const std::vector<AnimPose>& AnimBlendLinear::evaluate(float dt) {
+const std::vector<AnimPose>& AnimBlendLinear::evaluate(const AnimVariantMap& animVars, float dt) {
+
+    // TODO: update _alpha from animVars
 
     if (_children.size() == 0) {
         for (auto&& pose : _poses) {
             pose = AnimPose::identity;
         }
     } else if (_children.size() == 1) {
-        _poses = _children[0]->evaluate(dt);
+        _poses = _children[0]->evaluate(animVars, dt);
     } else {
         float clampedAlpha = glm::clamp(_alpha, 0.0f, (float)(_children.size() - 1));
         size_t prevPoseIndex = glm::floor(clampedAlpha);
         size_t nextPoseIndex = glm::ceil(clampedAlpha);
         float alpha = glm::fract(clampedAlpha);
         if (prevPoseIndex != nextPoseIndex) {
-            auto prevPoses = _children[prevPoseIndex]->evaluate(dt);
-            auto nextPoses = _children[nextPoseIndex]->evaluate(dt);
+            auto prevPoses = _children[prevPoseIndex]->evaluate(animVars, dt);
+            auto nextPoses = _children[nextPoseIndex]->evaluate(animVars, dt);
 
             if (prevPoses.size() > 0 && prevPoses.size() == nextPoses.size()) {
                 _poses.resize(prevPoses.size());
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimBlendLinear.h b/libraries/animation/src/AnimBlendLinear.h
index c1c1c928e5..784d89b04c 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimBlendLinear.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimBlendLinear.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ public:
     AnimBlendLinear(const std::string& id, float alpha);
     virtual ~AnimBlendLinear() override;
 
-    virtual const std::vector<AnimPose>& evaluate(float dt) override;
+    virtual const std::vector<AnimPose>& evaluate(const AnimVariantMap& animVars, float dt) override;
 
     void setAlpha(float alpha) { _alpha = alpha; }
     float getAlpha() const { return _alpha; }
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimClip.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/AnimClip.cpp
index dca43cb735..7653aabde8 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimClip.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimClip.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,10 @@ void AnimClip::setLoopFlag(bool loopFlag) {
     _loopFlag = loopFlag;
 }
 
-const std::vector<AnimPose>& AnimClip::evaluate(float dt) {
+const std::vector<AnimPose>& AnimClip::evaluate(const AnimVariantMap& animVars, float dt) {
+
+    // TODO: update _frame, _startFrame, _endFrame, _timeScale, _loopFlag from animVars.
+
     _frame = accumulateTime(_frame, dt);
 
     if (_networkAnim && _networkAnim->isLoaded() && _skeleton) {
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimClip.h b/libraries/animation/src/AnimClip.h
index 2cce40d98a..0d4f104678 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimClip.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimClip.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public:
     void setLoopFlag(bool loopFlag);
     bool getLoopFlag() const { return _loopFlag; }
 
-    virtual const std::vector<AnimPose>& evaluate(float dt) override;
+    virtual const std::vector<AnimPose>& evaluate(const AnimVariantMap& animVars, float dt) override;
 
 protected:
     virtual void setCurrentFrameInternal(float frame) override;
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimNode.h b/libraries/animation/src/AnimNode.h
index 9063488e9b..c4edd9bb06 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimNode.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimNode.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <glm/gtc/quaternion.hpp>
 
 #include "AnimSkeleton.h"
+#include "AnimVariant.h"
 
 class QJsonObject;
 
@@ -78,9 +79,9 @@ public:
         }
     }
 
-    virtual const std::vector<AnimPose>& evaluate(float dt) = 0;
-    virtual const std::vector<AnimPose>& overlay(float dt, const std::vector<AnimPose>& underPoses) {
-        return evaluate(dt);
+    virtual const std::vector<AnimPose>& evaluate(const AnimVariantMap& animVars, float dt) = 0;
+    virtual const std::vector<AnimPose>& overlay(const AnimVariantMap& animVars, float dt, const std::vector<AnimPose>& underPoses) {
+        return evaluate(animVars, dt);
     }
 
 protected:
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimOverlay.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/AnimOverlay.cpp
index c02c83d69f..3a76903d0f 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimOverlay.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimOverlay.cpp
@@ -37,17 +37,18 @@ void AnimOverlay::setBoneSet(BoneSet boneSet) {
     }
 }
 
-const std::vector<AnimPose>& AnimOverlay::evaluate(float dt) {
+const std::vector<AnimPose>& AnimOverlay::evaluate(const AnimVariantMap& animVars, float dt) {
+
     if (_children.size() >= 2) {
-        auto underPoses = _children[1]->evaluate(dt);
-        auto overPoses = _children[0]->overlay(dt, underPoses);
+        auto underPoses = _children[1]->evaluate(animVars, dt);
+        auto overPoses = _children[0]->overlay(animVars, dt, underPoses);
 
         if (underPoses.size() > 0 && underPoses.size() == overPoses.size()) {
             _poses.resize(underPoses.size());
             assert(_boneSetVec.size() == _poses.size());
 
             for (size_t i = 0; i < _poses.size(); i++) {
-                float alpha = _boneSetVec[i];  // TODO: PULL from boneSet
+                float alpha = _boneSetVec[i];
                 blend(1, &underPoses[i], &overPoses[i], alpha, &_poses[i]);
             }
         }
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimOverlay.h b/libraries/animation/src/AnimOverlay.h
index 82990514af..87d05e2b96 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimOverlay.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimOverlay.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public:
     void setBoneSet(BoneSet boneSet);
     BoneSet getBoneSet() const { return _boneSet; }
 
-    virtual const std::vector<AnimPose>& evaluate(float dt) override;
+    virtual const std::vector<AnimPose>& evaluate(const AnimVariantMap& animVars, float dt) override;
 
 protected:
     // for AnimDebugDraw rendering
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/AnimVariant.h b/libraries/animation/src/AnimVariant.h
index 13e364045b..627e3210f4 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/AnimVariant.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/AnimVariant.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class AnimVariant {
 public:
     enum Type {
         BoolType = 0,
+        IntType,
         FloatType,
         Vec3Type,
         QuatType,
@@ -27,24 +28,28 @@ public:
 
     AnimVariant() : _type(BoolType) { memset(&_val, 0, sizeof(_val)); }
     AnimVariant(bool value) : _type(BoolType) { _val.boolVal = value; }
+    AnimVariant(int value) : _type(IntType) { _val.intVal = value; }
     AnimVariant(float value) : _type(FloatType) { _val.floats[0] = value; }
     AnimVariant(const glm::vec3& value) : _type(Vec3Type) { *reinterpret_cast<glm::vec3*>(&_val) = value; }
     AnimVariant(const glm::quat& value) : _type(QuatType) { *reinterpret_cast<glm::quat*>(&_val) = value; }
     AnimVariant(const glm::mat4& value) : _type(Mat4Type) { *reinterpret_cast<glm::mat4*>(&_val) = value; }
 
     bool isBool() const { return _type == BoolType; }
+    bool isInt() const { return _type == IntType; }
     bool isFloat() const { return _type == FloatType; }
     bool isVec3() const { return _type == Vec3Type; }
     bool isQuat() const { return _type == QuatType; }
     bool isMat4() const { return _type == Mat4Type; }
 
     void setBool(bool value) { assert(_type == BoolType); _val.boolVal = value; }
+    void setInt(int value) { assert(_type == IntType); _val.intVal = value; }
     void setFloat(float value) { assert(_type == FloatType); _val.floats[0] = value; }
     void setVec3(const glm::vec3& value) { assert(_type == Vec3Type); *reinterpret_cast<glm::vec3*>(&_val) = value; }
     void setQuat(const glm::quat& value) { assert(_type == QuatType); *reinterpret_cast<glm::quat*>(&_val) = value; }
     void setMat4(const glm::mat4& value) { assert(_type == Mat4Type); *reinterpret_cast<glm::mat4*>(&_val) = value; }
 
     bool getBool() { assert(_type == BoolType); return _val.boolVal; }
+    int getInt() { assert(_type == IntType); return _val.intVal; }
     float getFloat() { assert(_type == FloatType); return _val.floats[0]; }
     const glm::vec3& getVec3() { assert(_type == Vec3Type); return *reinterpret_cast<glm::vec3*>(&_val); }
     const glm::quat& getQuat() { assert(_type == QuatType); return *reinterpret_cast<glm::quat*>(&_val); }
@@ -54,10 +59,11 @@ protected:
     Type _type;
     union {
         bool boolVal;
+        int intVal;
         float floats[16];
     } _val;
 };
 
-typedef std::map<std::string, AnimVariant> AnimVarantMap;
+typedef std::map<std::string, AnimVariant> AnimVariantMap;
 
 #endif // hifi_AnimVariant_h
diff --git a/tests/animation/src/AnimTests.cpp b/tests/animation/src/AnimTests.cpp
index 82d805d515..a25ce4bc0a 100644
--- a/tests/animation/src/AnimTests.cpp
+++ b/tests/animation/src/AnimTests.cpp
@@ -80,18 +80,20 @@ void AnimTests::testEvaulate() {
     float timeScale = 1.0f;
     float loopFlag = true;
 
+    auto vars = AnimVariantMap();
+
     AnimClip clip(id, url, startFrame, endFrame, timeScale, loopFlag);
 
-    clip.evaluate(framesToSec(10.0f));
+    clip.evaluate(vars, framesToSec(10.0f));
     QCOMPARE_WITH_ABS_ERROR(clip._frame, 12.0f, EPSILON);
 
     // does it loop?
-    clip.evaluate(framesToSec(11.0f));
+    clip.evaluate(vars, framesToSec(11.0f));
     QCOMPARE_WITH_ABS_ERROR(clip._frame, 3.0f, EPSILON);
 
     // does it pause at end?
     clip.setLoopFlag(false);
-    clip.evaluate(framesToSec(20.0f));
+    clip.evaluate(vars, framesToSec(20.0f));
     QCOMPARE_WITH_ABS_ERROR(clip._frame, 22.0f, EPSILON);
 }
 
@@ -155,6 +157,7 @@ void AnimTests::testLoader() {
 void AnimTests::testVariant() {
     auto defaultVar = AnimVariant();
     auto boolVar = AnimVariant(true);
+    auto intVar = AnimVariant(1);
     auto floatVar = AnimVariant(1.0f);
     auto vec3Var = AnimVariant(glm::vec3(1.0f, 2.0f, 3.0f));
     auto quatVar = AnimVariant(glm::quat(1.0f, 2.0f, 3.0f, 4.0f));
@@ -168,6 +171,9 @@ void AnimTests::testVariant() {
     QVERIFY(boolVar.isBool());
     QVERIFY(boolVar.getBool() == true);
 
+    QVERIFY(intVar.isInt());
+    QVERIFY(intVar.getInt() == 1);
+
     QVERIFY(floatVar.isFloat());
     QVERIFY(floatVar.getFloat() == 1.0f);