How to do your hair for a dance

How To Create The Perfect Performance Hair

Just like your technique and girls dancewear, your hair is a vital component of your performance. If not done right, it can get in your way, impacting how you look and feel on the stage. Likewise, it can be distracting for the audience who are looking more at your hair than your high leaps. So how can you create performance hair that's secure and offers a sense of drama, but doesn't distract either? With these performance-ready hair tips.

Take good care of your hair.

Being a dancer is hard on your body, and that includes your hair. Even if you're just going to dance class, many times you're likely required to wear a bun slicked back. These hairstyles put a lot of stress on your tresses due to hair being pulled tightly for so long, not to mention all the products you have to douse your hair with.

That's why it's vitally important that you take good care of your hair. That means eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of protein. In fact, you may not know this, but your hair is made up of protein. So if you don't eat enough of it, you could experience hair loss. Make sure your diet includes regular helpings of chicken, turkey, eggs, fish and other healthy sources of protein.

Another important way to take good care of your hair is to get it trimmed regularly. You might want super long hair. But if you trim it regularly -- at least once every two to three months -- it's going to look better and be healthier too. That's because doing so eliminates split ends, as well as hair damage. As a result, your hair will break less and grow in thicker.

Fight frizz.

One of the biggest obstacles to performance-ready hair is a fine layer of frizz all over your head. Frizz is caused by hair that is overly dry from styling or treating too much. What's a dancer to do? In the shower, try a leave-in conditioner. This will promote optimal moisture levels in your hair that fight against frizz.

Also, if you give your hair a cold blast of water at the end of your shower, it will also help your hair to look shinier. Finally, if you're doing your hair for a performance, and you have tons of frizz and flyaways, take a toothbrush and spray it with hair spray. Then comb it lightly over the problem spots. This should get them to stay in place during your performance.

Make sure you have the right tools.

Beyond your girls dance wear and accessories, you also need the right hair tools. In a regular day, you might need a brush and some hairspray. But when it comes to a dance performance, you're going to need an arsenal of tools, including a spray bottle with water, hairspray, hair gel, a toothbrush, a bun donut if you want the perfect bun, hair ties and lots of pins. Also, have some baby wipes on hand in case you get hair spray or gel on your face. This way, when you're doing your hair, you don't need to stop in search of more pins or a hair tie.

Create the perfect stage-ready bun.

The bun is the gold standard when it comes to dance-ready hair. But creating it can sometimes be a challenge if you don't know how to do it for the stage. You need it to be both neat and secure, but also not so tight that it's uncomfortable and gives you a headache.

• To begin, wet your hair slightly with either water or hair gel. If your hair is just-washed -- and silky smooth, as a result, then use a texturizing spray.
• Next, pull your hair into a high ponytail. Be careful about height if you're wearing a headpiece. If you are, you will likely want a lower ponytail. Once your ponytail is secured into place, then use your donut bun and pull your ponytail through it.
• Divide the hair in the ponytail into two parts, one on the left and one on the right. Take one side, twist it around the donut bun, and then start pinning. U-shaped pins often work best for this, especially if you have thick hair. Once done, take the other section and twist and pin it the other way around your bun donut. Make sure all loose pieces are secured.
• Finish off this look with plenty of hairspray to hold it into place.
• To add some drama to this classic look, do a small side braid on the front side of your head and secure it in place with a clear elastic hair tie before you start the bun-making process.
• Also, if you want to do double-side buns, then follow the same tips above. Except, instead of making one ponytail in the center of the head, create two on either side of your head.

Secure headpieces.

When you're on the stage, dancing, the last thing you're going to want to worry about is how secure your hair feels, especially your headpiece. And if yours starts to come loose during a performance, that's a problem. Instead, prevent this from happening in the first place with plenty of bobby pins. When you put them into place around the headpiece, also try to make sure they are crossing each other, which will add even more security.

Be gentle with your hair.

The last thing you want is a bald spot from a ponytail pulled too tightly in the same spot over and over again. So make sure you're gentle with your hair when you're doing it for the stage. That includes not brushing it too hard and also not using hair ties with metal bands that can get caught in your hair and pull it out.

Invest in quality hair products.

When you're putting a lot of product on your hair on a regular basis, it's important to go with the highest quality ones you can afford. These generally have higher concentrations of active ingredients that produce optimal results.

Looking for high-quality, cheap dance clothes?

Look no further than Just for Kix. We know you not only want your hair to look perfect on performance day, but also your girls dance wear too. We offer a variety of stylish and affordable options so you can look your best and dazzle the audience. Shop our dance clothes!

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How Do You 'Do? Pro-Approved Styles for Every Hair Texture

Want to give your studio style an extra bit of oomph? Take out that eternally slicked bun and spice up your rehearsal with head-turning hair. To help you brainstorm your next look, we asked four dancers, each with different hair textures, to tell us how they create their go-to rehearsal styles.

Curly Hair

Amanda Smith, Dance Theatre of Harlem

Favorite rehearsal style:
French twist. “It’s a classic look,” Smith says. “I feel professional in it, and that helps my dancing. Plus, it goes well with any leotard.”

1. Part hair on your preferred side.
2. Add styling gel of choice. “You can’t just put curls into a French twist without anything on them,” says Smith.
3. Use a smoothing brush (with bristles close together) to smooth the curls down to your head.
4. Gather hair into a low ponytail at the nape of your neck without an elastic.
5. Begin twisting from the bottom of the head, pulling upward, and begin securing the hair with bobby pins as you go. “I have more curls underneath, so I start there to make sure everything is in place before moving to the top,” Smith says.
6. Once at the top of the head, twist the leftover curls into a small bun secured by more pins.
7. Add more gel to hold hair in place. “The curls are going to want to come out; use the gel to avoid flyaways,” Smith says.
8. Finish with a small amount of light-hold hair spray. “Go for the least intense hair spray,” Smith says. “That way your hair won’t dread when you take it out at the end of the day.”

Takiyah Wallace, Courtesy Smith

Favorite Products:

• ECO Style Professional Styling Gel
• TRESemmé hair spray
• DevaCurl leave-in conditioner
• Renpure Originals argan oil conditioner
• SheaMoisture Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Texture Spray. “This keeps the curls moisturized, bouncy and healthy,” she says.

Tips for Managing Curly Hair:

• “Be aware of how easy it is for your curls to dry out,” Smith says. “I really have to focus on moisture, especially while touring different cities with different climates.”
• Use products that come in spray form so they don’t weigh down your curls.
• Don’t wash your hair every day, or it will lose its moisture.
• When you do wash your hair, stick to products (shampoos, conditioners, hair spray, gel, etc.) with less alcohol and more natural ingredients.

Coily Hair

Paige Fraser,

Favorite rehearsal style:
Fro-hawk. “There’s a lot you can do with natural hair—it’s so versatile,” Fraser says. “This simple style takes less than a minute. It allows you to keep your hair out of the way while still framing your face and keeping your look sleek.”

1. Sleep in two-strand twists or braids with a leave-in conditioner or oil the night before to give your hair added definition.
2. Add edge control (or your favorite styling gel) to your hairline near the side of your face.
3. Use a brush to smooth one side of the hair upward and toward the middle of the head.
4. Hold the hair back with your fingers to maintain tension while slipping a bobby pin into place just below your fingers to secure it.
5. Cross another bobby pin over the first in the opposite direction for added hold.
6. You can finish there with a half fro-hawk, or repeat on the other side of the head for a full fro-hawk.
7. Fluff and shape the hair to desired style.
8. For a sleeker, more dramatic look, add more pins along the sides.

Michelle Reid, Courtesy Fraser

Favorite Products:

• Anything Carol’s Daughter
• SheaMoisture Curl & Style Milk
• Curls Blueberry & Mint Tea Scalp Treatment
• ORS Olive Oil Edge Control hair gel
• ECO Style Professional Styling Gel
• Moroccan oil

Tips for Managing Coily Hair:

• “Embrace the beauty of your hair texture,” Fraser says. “Take time when you aren’t dancing to let your hair out to thrive and be fabulous!”
• Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize—with oil. “But don’t put it on in the morning or it will get on the floor while you dance,” Fraser says.
• Shop around. “Everyone’s natural hair is different, so it’s really just trial and error for what oils will be best on your hair,” Fraser says.
• Sleep with your hair in two-strand twists, braids or cornrows. “These are protective styles that will keep the moisture locked in much better than leaving it out and wild,” she says.
• Tie your hair with a silk scarf while you sleep.
• Get regular trims.
• Avoid too much heat, which can lead to damage.

Wavy Hair

Lia Cirio, Boston Ballet

Favorite rehearsal style: Dutch braid into a low bun. “This has been my go-to lately,” Cirio says. “My facial structure is severe, and this look softens me a bit. Plus, my hair tends to get frizzy when I’m sweaty, and a braid controls it.”

1. Take a small section of hair from the center of your hairline.
2. Begin braiding backward. (A Dutch braid is done exactly like a French braid, except you cross the strands under rather than over each other.)
3. Continue creating the braid down the center of the head moving to the nape of the neck until all of the hair has been picked up.
4. Secure the hair in a low ponytail using an elastic.
5. Twist the hair into a low bun, pinning with large, U-shaped bobby pins as you go.
6. Once finished, fix bubbled or rogue hairs by tucking them into the braid and securing them with bobby pins.
7. Pin wispies near the front of the face back.
8. Secure with hair spray if your waves need it.

Addie Tapp, Courtesy Boston Ballet

Favorite Products:

• Prose shampoo and conditioner. “You take a survey about your hair type, and they create a formula just for you,” she says. “It smells great, too!”
• U-shaped bobby pins from Ricky’s in New York City
• Scünci thick, black elastics
• R+Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo

Tips for Managing Wavy Hair:

• “Because my hair is both thick and wavy, I often use hot tools so it’s easier to manage,” Cirio says. “That means I have to take extra care of it to avoid damage.”
• Don’t wash your hair every day. “I wash my hair every three days,” Cirio says. “This protects my hair from the damage of daily drying and straightening. Plus, it saves me time and energy.”
• Use dry shampoo. “This gives your hair more grip,” Cirio says.
• Let your hair air dry whenever possible.

Straight Hair

Maria Ambrose, Paul Taylor Dance Company

Favorite rehearsal style:
Half up, half down with a braid. “My hair is slippery, and rarely listens to me, so I can’t just put it in a bun or ponytail,” Ambrose says. “I don’t like the slicked look, so to keep some volume and movement without my hair falling out, I wear it half up, half down with a braid. It makes me feel more ferocious.”

1. Part your hair on your preferred side.
2. Add a texture spray of your choice. “I put a sea salt spray in it to give it some grip,” Ambrose says.
3. Grab a chunk of hair near your forehead opposite the part.
4. Begin French braiding the top half of your hair from the hairline to the back of your head. “I want a bit of a messy look, so I don’t worry too much about being exact as I grab pieces of hair,” Ambrose says.
5. Once the braid has reached the back of the head, secure it using a bobby pin.
6. Then, take the top half of the hair from the other side of your head and pull it to meet the braided hair in the back of the head. “Spray some water on it to control your wispies,” Ambrose says. Then secure both sides together with an elastic. For more texture, curl your hair before beginning.

Laura Halzack, Courtesy Paul Taylor Dance Company

Favorite Products:

• The Gnarly Whale Sea Salt Spray
• OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Dry Shampoo
• Ribbed bobby pins. “The smooth ones fuel the hair-slipping fire,” Ambrose says.
• Ribbed hair elastics

Tips for Managing Straight Hair:

• “Straight hair gets so smooth that it can be hard to manage when you’re dancing,” Ambrose says. “You have to get creative to help it stay in place.”
• Use texture spray. “It’s the only way I don’t get a note about my hair during a show,” she says.
• Don’t wash your hair the day before a performance. “You need to have some dirt and oil in it to weigh it down,” Ambrose says.
• Use water to put hair into place, and immediately use hair spray to keep it from moving. “That seems to keep the baby hairs in line,” she says.

Hairstyles for ballroom dancing for girls and boys