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Prop Technique6 minutes

Learn Burlesque Fan Dance: Conceal and Reveal

By Bernhard De LucaUpdated

In brief
  • To get started, practice first with lightweight fans individually, then with both hands, and finally to music.
  • You open folding fans in a controlled way by the handle, while fixed feather fans stay open.
  • You guide the fans with relaxed elbows and keep hard edges away from your face and body.
  • Hiding and revealing are created by changing the fan positions, so you don't need to remove any clothing.

A fan can look large and still make a big difference with a small movement. When you're starting out, what matters is being able to control its weight and make a deliberately placed gap visible.

What you'll need for the exercise

  • Two lightweight, easy-to-grip burlesque fans
  • Enough open space for both arms to extend fully with the fans
  • Comfortable clothing without jewelry that could get caught
  • Flat, secure-fitting shoes
  • A mirror or camera at the height of the imagined audience
  • Music with a clearly audible, steady pulse

The fan's surface determines what becomes visible

In Burlesque Fan Dance, the fan acts as a movable screen. The audience's perspective is key: two fans may overlap from your point of view and still leave a gap when seen from an angle at the front. So choose a fixed front-facing direction for the exercise. A mirror helps you find your bearings, and a short recording also shows whether the movement is clear without you having to think it through yourself.

Not every feather fan can be folded. Fixed models stay open; folding models have movable ribs and a pivot point. The following opening exercise applies only to folding fans. Never force them against resistance, and don't put your fingers between the ribs. With fixed models, replace the opening motion with a slow turn of the fan's surface toward the front. Fan veils used in belly dance are not part of this exercise.

Start standing still so the fan movement isn't obscured by changing foot positions. Later, you can add small changes of direction from Heels Dance footwork, initially still wearing flat shoes. Props also need a planned resting place: you'll encounter the principle of controlled placement in working with the Bata de Cola, although its movement technique is different.

A loose spring at the pivot can jam the mechanism, even if the handle feels stable.
A loose spring at the pivot can jam the mechanism, even if the handle feels stable.

Seven steps to a short fan sequence

  1. Find the grip without moving

    Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and first hold a fan by its designated handle. Keep your fingers outside the joint; briefly lower your arm again if you have to grip tightly or your wrist bends sideways.

  2. Opening a Fan in a Controlled Way

    For a folding model, slowly open the outer rib with your free hand as far as the mechanism allows. Close it just as calmly and repeat with the other hand; with a fixed model, turn it from edge-on to face-on instead.

  3. Practice free arm paths one at a time

    Move the open fan outward in front of your body and back again, keeping your elbow slightly bent. Keep the firm base away from your ribs and face; practice each side separately, without reaching behind your head or raising your shoulder.

  4. Let both surfaces overlap

    Take the second fan and hold both in front of your clothed upper body without pressing them against each other. Turn their surfaces toward the designated front; the overlap works when they look closed in the mirror and the ribs do not catch on each other.

  5. Create a small gap in your view

    Move just one fan sideways until, for example, a covered shoulder becomes visible, then bring it back. Keep the other one still; the movement is successful when you can repeatedly create the same gap without turning your upper body.

  6. Time the change to the counts

    Count to eight twice: Hold the overlap from one to four, open the gap from five to eight, keep it open through four in the next eight-count, then cover it again through eight. Use calm music and keep the movement size the same.

  7. Finish the sequence calmly

    Lower both fans one after the other in front of your body and place them on a clear, clean surface. Close folding models one at a time with your free hand first; the finish is successful when neither the feathers drag on the floor nor the ribs strike against each other.

Small adjustments for clear pathways

Like this

  • Keep the handle stable in your palm
  • Keep the second fan panel still when shifting your gaze
  • Bring the base of the fan along when changing direction
  • Reduce your range of motion when you get tired

Not like this

  • Hold the fan only by individual feathers
  • Pull both fans away at the same time without control
  • Fling only the feather tips with a flick of the wrist
  • Keep making large circles despite your arms trembling

Your checklist for the practice session

Before the First Run-Through

Preparation

After the first sequence

Assessment

After practice

Wrap-up

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. For getting started, choose lightweight models with a handle you can hold without constantly tensing your hand. Large feather surfaces create more leverage and need more space. Two small practice fans are enough for practicing changes of view, but a decorative hand fan only approximates the wide surface of a burlesque feather fan.

Practice fan patterns together

On udansa connect, you can find people to practice with. For this fan sequence, you can take turns dancing and give feedback from the front about the visible gap.

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Practice fan patterns together

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