Fringe Movement

Fringe

     Most belly dancers know that fringe helps accent a great move.  However what gets neglected is how different fringe affects the accent.  That is right, different fringe acts differently.  When you stop to think about it this is a rather elementary point.  Still, most dancers pick out fringe that will look good with the costume before thinking about the actions expected of the fringe.  The actions of the fringe are dictated by the length, materials, and placement of the fringe.  

     Length of fringe dictates the action because the kinetic energy has to move down the fringe.  The longer it has to go the more chance there is for resistance to the energy there by reducing the friction of the materials used.  This is why long fringe skirts look great with spins but eat up almost any shimmy.  Short fringe thinks all moves are big moves as it does not take as much to get them moving.  The more force behind dance moves the longer fringe can be and still serve its purpose.

    Different material move different ways.  Chainette will give very little resistance but also has little weight to throw around.  Chunky beads have a lot of weight to throw around but also have resistance.   Resistance can also be affected by how tightly strung fringe is.  Fringe should be easily articulated around a finger.   If it cannot do this, it will have too high a resistance to look good as fringe.  All other fringe materials can be adjusted to work for dance.

     Placement of fringe can also affect how it moves during dance.  Take a straight glass beaded fringe for instance.  If placed it at the bottom of the belt it will give a nice accent that most dancers like.  If placed in angular strips in the body of the belt, there is a much more noticeable accent because it is broken up and uneven.  By breaking up fringe or having fringe that is uneven, the movement of the fringe is much more noticeable even if there is not more energy going through it.  This is because there is contrast to the movement.

     When using all three of these factors, a costume can be made that will make even the smallest movements noticeable.  The belt I adore the most was one my first teacher had.  It was simple on all accounts.  Made of black velvet, it had been machine stitched with black thread in a diamond pattern.  Cording edged the fabric.  The fringe was Chainette that was sewn in tight groups of about 20 strands 3 inches apart, if memory serves.  The fringe came down to mid-thigh even though it was sewn in the middle of the belt.  That long thick fringe would move with every shimmy and hip drop.  A good spin might have left a welt on anyone too close.

     Now for using this information, how one dances and how one wants to be perceived as dancing must be taken into account.  Those with smaller movement ranges that want them to be seen as bigger need; short to medium length, medium resistance, and broken up placement.  Those with large movements that want them to be seen as smaller need; medium to long fringe, high resistance, and solid placement.