If I tried to wear my hair "down"

[blue_nant]

Since I began belly-dance I'm seeing that I could feasibly use my hair as a prop, like in an active dance, it could be cool-looking.

BUT. Two things.
1. It's not thick, so I don't know how good a statement it would make.

2. Since it's been in braids for decades, it doesn't know how to behave loose. For that matter *I* don't know how to handle it loose.

I guess I'd have to "practice" having my hair down, but my question is this: Is there anything I could wear to help it not fly away? To just hang down? It catches in everything, it seems like.

Any thoughts?

[Nat242]

I rarely wear my hair down or in braids when practicing, because it gets in the way and I have flicked myself in the eye during turns! I leave it out for performances and rehearsals, to get used to it. It does take some practice - I use a head band or clips to pull pieces from around my face back to keep the hair off my face.

Your hair is beautiful, even if it's not thick. Why not try for some braid waves when you wear it down, which can give a bit of extra oomf? Half ups could help you get used to it whilst containing some of your hair. And just practice moving it around your body - do you have a mirror to practice dance in front of? That can help.

[Xandergrammy]

I don't have any advice, but my opinion is that part of the beauty of using your hair as a prop is that your hair will be fluid and move. I don't think you need to have it hanging straight down. Let it dance with you!

[LittleOrca]

Back in the day when there was less of me in the midsection I used to practice with my hair up so that when I sweat my hair didn't stick to my back, but when I performed I kept my hair down. Long hair adds to the bellydance mystique and mysticism that people place over it. ;)

[MadPirateBippy]

I rarely wear my hair down or in braids when practicing, because it gets in the way and I have flicked myself in the eye during turns! I leave it out for performances and rehearsals, to get used to it. It does take some practice - I use a head band or clips to pull pieces from around my face back to keep the hair off my face.

Your hair is beautiful, even if it's not thick. Why not try for some braid waves when you wear it down, which can give a bit of extra oomf? Half ups could help you get used to it whilst containing some of your hair. And just practice moving it around your body - do you have a mirror to practice dance in front of? That can help.
^^ Good idea!

Half ups to practice is probably a fantastic thing to do.

I might also want to spray the length with some detangling spray before or after, depending on what you are doing- it can be a bitch to detangle when it's got sweat in it.

[Leabhar]

Maybe you could start with mini-braids, like the Mongolian dancers. It would move more like loose hair but be less damaging, and you wouldn't have to worry about volume. :P

[Queenie]

I only wear it down when I'm performing. I used to have it down whenever I was dancing (practice, in class, teaching), but then it hit me that my ends were suffering a LOT from friction and getting caught in the beaded belts. I LOVE zar and khaleegy hair dances, even just as short bits in drumsolos, but whenever I practice anything that involves hair tossing, I make sure to wear plain unbeaded scarves. Your hair does suffer from it!

Happy dancing!