Are you preparing for your first dance recital? Hurray for you! All those months of practising and investing in training equipment are finally going to pay off. I’m sure you can’t wait to show off all your moves to a larger audience than just your family and dance buddies.
So, now that you’re finally done perfecting your choreography, you need to think about the other elements of your performance, like your stage appearance. After all, you’re going to be judged on every aspect of your stage presence, not just your impressive pirouettes or elegant extensions. And along with make-up and the costume, your hair is an important part of your stage appearance.
For one, when your hair is styled in a neat way, it adds more sophistication to your looks. Additionally, keeping your hair off your face is crucial for your performance. If your hair gets into your eyes, it can obscure your vision and cause you to make a mistake, or even worse – fall down and get injured. So, if you’re preparing yourself for an upcoming recital, here are some suggestions on how to style your hair in a way that’s practical and beautiful at the same time.
Up and at ‘Em
Every dancer prefers a hairstyle that keeps the hair up and away from the face. And what better hairstyle than a bun. Buns have always been the most popular choice for ballet dancers as well as other types of dancers. There are many types of buns you can try. But when it comes to how to do a hair bun for ballet or another type of dance, the classical bun and the sock bun are the most popular choices. The classical style is a small and flat bun which is tightened at the back of the head. If you want a more voluminous and noticeable bun, place a sock or a doughnut sponge around the root of the bun to give it a big, round look.
Another great hairstyle for dancers is the ponytail. You can opt for a straight ponytail or one with curls. Although this is usually considered a simple hairstyle, it’s often tricky when it’s used in dancing. You need to tie your ponytail at the appropriate height so that the hair doesn’t get into your face as you dance. If you have long hair, the most appropriate way to tie a ponytail is at the back of the head, near the neck. If you have short or shoulder-length hair, you can also tie a ponytail at the middle part of the head. A high ponytail is only suitable for shoulder-length hair as with short hair it is impossible to achieve and long hair will get into your eyes.
Fasten It
Whether you opt for a bun or a ponytail, it’s important that the hair is pulled back securely. Even if your ponytail has locks, there should be no hair touching the front of your head where it can get into your eyes. With that being said, when you pull your hair away from your face, spray the roots with hairspray or apply some gel to prevent any stray pieces of hair. Then brush through your hair to create a sleek and smooth look. For the back of your hair, you can keep stubborn hairs away with hairspray and bobby pins. You can also use glitter hair spray for keeping your hairstyle in place and adding some sparkle at the same time.
Don’t worry if your hair feels sticky or hard. When you’re on stage, no one will touch your hair, but it does need to be secure. To check whether your hairstyle has got what it takes to stay in shape, shake your head around. If you feel that your hair is too loose, tighten it up. Also, use tie around an additional elastic band as a reinforcement if the first band were to snap. The last thing you want during your performance is for your hair to fall apart.
Give It a Special Touch
Some performances call for you to go beyond the basic bun or ponytail, or you may just want for your hairstyle to stand out more. In that case, try adding a decorative touch. You can do this with the help of hair products or hair accessories. However, hair accessories like decorative bows, flowers or headpieces can be prone to falling out as you twirl and jump. To keep them firmly in place, use as many bobby pins as possible.
If you find hair accessories uncomfortable or just don’t want to risk them falling off, try decorating your hairstyle with hair products. For instance, adding some glitter is one of the easiest ways to make your hair stand out. If you’re wondering how to put glitter in your hair, there are two ways to do it – with glitter gel or hairspray. Glitter gels are very runny, which makes them harder to apply and may not be able to hold your hair in place. On the other hand, a glitter hair spray can be applied much faster, and you won’t even get your hands dirty. What’s more, the spray adds extra firmness to your hairdo.
If you want to use a glitter spray, I’d suggest purchasing one from a specialized dance store. Unlike glitter you can find at a convenience store, dance stores are more likely to sell types of glitter that are suitable for use by dancers. Specialized dance glitter sprays are 100% safe to apply both on the hair and skin, and are easy to clean up afterwards.
