When you hear the word domino, you probably imagine a long line of hundreds or thousands of small blocks of wood or plastic, each with its own unique number of dots or other markings, set up in careful sequence and all toppling at once with the nudge of just one. That’s the kind of domino effect that builders create on stage in domino shows, where they compete to build the most elaborate and imaginative domino reaction before a live audience.
But dominoes don’t just topple in games; they can also have a domino effect on people and organizations. When a domino falls, it causes a chain reaction that can lead to changes in leadership or policies and even to bankruptcy. A domino can also be a symbol for an idea or trend that has the potential to spread or grow rapidly, like the recent rise of popularity for gluten-free eating.
The word domino comes from the Latin domini, meaning “heavy.” A domino is a small rectangular block, normally twice as long as it is wide. Its face is typically marked with numbers or other markings that resemble those on dice. Each half of a domino’s face is called an end and has a specific value determined by the number of marks or pips on it. A domino with six pips on each end is called a double six, while a domino with ten pips on each end is a double ten.
In most games, each player takes turns drawing and laying down dominoes according to the rules of the game being played. The first player to get rid of all the dominoes they hold wins the hand. There are a number of variations of this basic game. For example, some games require that all the tiles in the stock (also called the boneyard) must be used by the time a player’s turn arrives, while others allow players to buy or draw more tiles than they have in their hands.
Dominos can be made from a variety of materials, including bone, silver-lip oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, and dark hardwoods such as ebony, and can have either black or white pips inlaid on them. Modern domino sets are most often made from polymer or acrylic resin, but historically, they were made from natural substances such as marble, soapstone, and clay.
Hevesh has been creating her own intricate domino displays since she was a child, and she now works on projects for movies, TV shows, and events such as the album launch of pop star Katy Perry. Before she completes a large installation, Hevesh tests the individual sections of the domino display on video to make sure they work properly. She films her testing in slow motion, which helps her see tiny corrections that might otherwise be difficult to notice.