What is thing, Fascia?
In Turkish, we often refer to fascia as “connective tissue,” but in reality, it is just one type of connective tissue. Fascia is an intricate structure responsible for both holding our body’s tissues together and separating them. Recent research has begun to uncover the critical role that fascia plays in our bodies, suggesting that this often-overlooked system is far more important than we might have previously realized. Yet, as with many fields of science, we are still at the early stages of truly understanding its full function.
Fascia envelops muscles, bones, joints, and organs—even our nerves and blood vessels—protecting and holding them in place. We tend to think of our skeleton as the framework that gives our body structure. But if we were to remove the fascia from the skeleton, we would see the bones scatter and collapse under the force of gravity, one by one. This image gives us a profound insight into fascia's primary function: to connect.
The concept of biotensegrity has long been part of the vocabulary for those studying movement and exercise science. The term merges tension—the idea of strain or stretching—and integrity, meaning wholeness and strength. Biotensegrity refers to the tension-based integrity that is alive within us. This understanding reshapes how we approach the body.
Instead of viewing the body in isolated parts—an arm here, a leg there—we now know that the body is encased in a continuous sheath, and movement in one area instantly affects another. With this in mind, we no longer target specific muscle groups but design exercises that influence the whole, keeping fascia in mind.
“It is estimated that fascia transmits information six times faster than the nervous system.”
Here, “information” refers to the way fascia behaves much like fabric: when we pull on one side, the tension is immediately felt on the other. Because of this, fascia is often compared to a thin, elastic fabric wrapping the entire body—a perfect metaphor for the superficial fascia beneath our skin. In essence, fascia is both a tissue and a system.
And it would not be an exaggeration to call fascia a complex network of communication within the body.
Today, many of us understand that exercise is not just about building muscle or enhancing appearance. Fascia-centered exercises extend the functional lifespan of our bodies. By learning more about how fascia works, we can discover how to protect our health through movement.
Fascia Health and Dance
Working with fascia requires a different movement approach, one that contrasts with the patterns we are accustomed to. Instead of forcing and straining muscles, we aim for fluidity, involving the entire body as a cohesive whole. The idea is to move in flow, without overexertion or tension.
In fact, much of the muscle action we focus on during exercise is reliant on the sliding movements of fascia. Myosin and actin may be the functional units of muscle, but during movement, it is the interconnectedness of fascia that keeps us centered. Our ability to sense these connections, rather than the intensity with which we engage specific muscles, determines whether a movement is both stable and dynamic. This is how we achieve maximum effect with minimal effort.
In my dance training, when I speak of deepening into the body, I am referring to the ability to penetrate these deeper layers of fascia. Just as an onion has layers, so too does the body, and we have the potential to move and feel through each layer. There is always a deeper, more hidden tissue that we can reach.
Dance, especially, requires the body to move as a whole. The movement flows from the central nervous system to the periphery, not through conscious control of each limb, but through initiating a connection—an impulse—that the fascia carries onward. When this happens, it is so clear, so palpable, that the experience leaves no doubt. It is in these moments that we find ourselves fully embodied, flowing effortlessly in the dance. The sense of integration, the hormones released, the emotions experienced—it all culminates in a sensation that is nearly impossible to describe in words.
In particular, belly dancing, with its fluid motions, heavily relies on the fascia system. During belly dancing, we cannot tense the muscles of the abdomen. They need to be relaxed, loose enough to ripple and vibrate. So what makes this movement possible? It is the ability of the body to glide within its own connective tissues.
If you feel rigid, tight, or that your body lacks flexibility, or if you experience stiffness in certain areas, fascia-friendly exercises may be the solution. Rather than addressing these issues in isolation, working with your whole body in accordance with biotensegrity will optimize your long-term physical health.
In my next article, I’ll delve deeper into specific exercises that support fascia health. 🙂