Any long haired dancers out there?

[sakuramoon08]

How do you wear your hair when dancing? I admit, that my hair takes alot of damage when I perform, not so much when I'm reahearsing, but performance time, I basically use the killer spray. I dance Ballet Folklorico, and our style is two braids held up by elastic pony tail holders up high on the base of the head, then wrapped around to make a bun, held up by a gajillion and one bobby pins, and then a hair net around the bun with more bobby pins. It all has to be slicked back, and my frizzy/ billion baby hairs that stick up requires me to use hair gel, and a obscene amount of killer spray (hair spray). Thus my whole hair is being traumatized for hours on end, since I'm there several hours before performance and after (assistant job). Does anyone else's hair take as much damage? Does anyone have tips for me? I'd really appreciate it, and how do you wear hair during rehearsals? I'd like some cute hair styles besides a bun. Thanks if you read this far... :)

[katienoonan]

Would oiling your hair create the smooth look too? I don't have any experience of this so i'm out on a limb here... :confused:

[clarinette]

Well I'm not sure I can help...I used to be a samba dancer, and the consensus was "hair down, as long as possible"...... for rehearsals i also never tied it up, and I have no idea what you could do apart from a bun....are twin braids unbunned an option? That has to be less damaging than what you describe...

[sabreena]

I am a belly dancer so I have to wear my hair down. I usually go to the Salon to blow it out straight, wear some protein cream and I am good to go. I avoid hair sprays and gels. Unless, i am curling my hair for an important gig.

My hair is past tail bone so when i rehearse i tie it up in a bun. But when I am performing I let it loose.

[sabreena]

I do not know if oils help. But all that gel cannot be good for you. Are you allowed to let it loose?

[Zenity]

I have been a a pro dancer and I know everything about a long hair and buns, updos etc. It took me a while to realize how stressful was for my hair to use tons of chems like hairspray and so. So finally i stared using DIY concoctions.

The best one i can remember, had a base of linseed gel (you can find the recipe online), several oils, glycerin, aloe vera, and I recall I add something like xantan gum or similar to add extra hold. You have to experiment with it and see how it comes, how it does while performing and refine your formula.

For me what it worked the best was oiling the inner part of my ponytail and the external layer with the extra hold formula i did. While still wet do my updo, and once finished add and extra amount to the areas of the scalp and the bun or updo external and outer layer.

Some of my friends mist their hair with lemon, sugar and water. That is a good spray mist but my dark hair disliked lemon as it was very dry and gave my hair unwanted warmth.

My mix took a while to dry so when in a hurry I would spray de outer layer just with regular hair-spray instead my mix.

I wish I had kept the recipes of my DIY extra hold concoctions as I remember I refined them over the time and that worked like a charm!

When I became a choreographer was a big relief for my hair, but I passed some of those recipes to my dancers. I will see if I can contact some just in case they keep those recipes...

Lately I don't do much to my hair, just dye roots and all of that but not really into the fashion/dancing world anymore, so natural and air dry is what I have now.

Good luck in your quest!

[Yame]

Hiii Sabreena! Good to see you here!

I'm a belly dancer too so I can offer no help. We generally have to wear our hair down for performances, as it compliments the dance. I am lucky to have very easy hair, I just wash it and let it air dry, brush it, and I'm good to go. I don't need to use any products or heat styling.

[Celtic Morla]

Well I'm ot a dancer technically but my son was and I spent many years in studios with the girls. I would suggest before you put your hair up to lightly oil it then braid itthen use oil to smooth it before you apply the spray it should helpt protect it, same with the braids oil before you bun them and spray. When you are done I suggest using conditioner or oil to soften the gunk before taking it all down and repeating as you take it all out. Let it soak in a shower cao then do the washign last during your shower.

During practices in my son's school they were always required to bun- a lot of them did a french twist that the Principal taught them. Sometimes they would do many braids and pull them back into a bun, sometimes they did a bun on each side above the ears almost doing a french twist up the back then bunning it. The schools he went to were prety strict about the bunning, when his sister danced with him she had BC length that was thick and I bought one of the scrunchie roll up bun makers for pratice it was a lot quicker. Quite often I would just englsih braid it in a high pony and bun it high. The secret is to not do the same bun every day.

Having dealt with one of the hardest hair types straigh and heavy and thick it was easy for me to do any of the other little girls whose moms were new to ballet..LoL

[noelgirl]

I'm a jazz dancer, but I probably wouldn't be much help with anything too complex - I usually stick to buns and ponytails. I do find that buns hold a lot better with longer pins - I'm sure you've heard about Bunheadz, but Sally's has a cheaper alternative:

http://www.sallybeauty.com/Jumbo-Hair-Pins/STARTE2,default,pd.html?cm_vc=SEARCH

Also, as other posters have mentioned, there are less-damaging alternatives to conventional gel - AVG's my favorite.

[racrane]

I would suggest mixing what routines you do have up. I'm not exactly a dancer but a musical theater actor and so I do dance, but I usually wear a wig in shows. In rehearsals I can get away with braids or buns out of the way. But I really hope you can find something for your hair! Performing can be difficult on the hair!

[florenonite]

Maybe you could avoid washing your hair for performances? The extra sebum will help keep the frizz at bay and slick it down. You can also try aloe vera gel rather than commercial gel, though I don't know if it has sufficient holding power.

[archel]

Wearing a bun is the perfect time to oil the heck out of your ends. For gel, you could use flaxseed gel or you could use aloe vera gel. Once it's up instead of spraying it into submission you can smooth the flyaways down with a soft boar bristle brush. HTH!

[ravenreed]

Not all belly dancers have to wear their hair down. Tribal dancers usually wear hair up, and since the group I belong to is a fusion group, I go for hair up as well. I can't dance with my hair down. The back of my neck gets so sweaty and I feel icky.

ETA: I just use hair spray. I condition and oil the heck out of my hair afterwards. I tried the flaxseed gel thing and all it did was flake and make me look like I had the worst case of dandruff.

[Tealpuffin]

I do tap and modern and we are encouraged during exams 5o either bun it or French plait it (2 braids). You could do a two braid French plant and tuck the ends in which with lots of hair pins will hold really well x

[Signe]

I second the oil... You say you need a really sleek look for this style anyway, so why not use that requirement to your advantage? Just get your hair a tiny bit damp and oil the heck out of it to seal the moisture and then put it up in those braided buns. If you do the buns right, with good hairpins, it shouldn't be too damaging. Then, performances could be a time to condition rather than damage!

Try your technique out for rehearsals so that you know if the oil holds sufficiently during the performance.

Good luck!

[archel]

Yep, I'm thinking an oiled braided bun put up with large spin pins is going to stay up and look amazingly sleek and sophisticated. DANG I want waist length hair like RIGHT NOW. I miss my braided buns...

[Magdalene]

I put my hair up wet, I don't use products unless I need it for a specific show. For ballet I just put it in an inside out bun as flat as possible at the crown of my head, and use the super long hairpins from Sallys. I don't bother with a net unless I'm performing.

[bluesnowflake]

I dance, and I usually wear my hair up, oiled, in a braided bun with a scrunchie. Comfortable and stays like a charm. For competitions, I try to use oil instead of gel. I can't help with the hairspray issue as my hair stays well enough without.

[blue_nant]

Not all belly dancers have to wear their hair down. Tribal dancers usually wear hair up, and since the group I belong to is a fusion group, I go for hair up as well. I can't dance with my hair down. The back of my neck gets so sweaty and I feel icky. ... I just use hair spray. I condition and oil the heck out of my hair afterwards.

I've been belly dancing for 2+ years, and have never left it down except like twice for practice. My experience is that my thigh-length hair gets caught in every bangle, bead and coin. Also, the sweat factor. When you dance, you get warm, and I've always hated a sweaty neck. Go figure.


I dance, and I usually wear my hair up, oiled, in a braided bun with a scrunchie. Comfortable and stays like a charm. For competitions, I try to use oil instead of gel.

I have to travel to gigs, and I cannot drive (at least a 35 minute drive to gigs) with a bun in. So I braid snug and spray the front and top. I don't have AC in my truck, so I have to have my windows open in summer. I both spray and use a bandanna in a biker/raghead arrangement to keep from blowing apart. I arrive and build my infinity bun from the braid, which holds very solidly! (I'm still impressed by that! Woohoo!) Then I put the decorations and flowers in, and everything stays. I'm often doing this in a parking lot. Nothing has fallen apart yet!

NOTE: Tribal rocks! Hee!

[ravenreed]

Haha, that too! Mine is between TB and Classic... just long enough to catch in the belt sparklies.


I've been belly dancing for 2+ years, and have never left it down except like twice for practice. My experience is that my thigh-length hair gets caught in every bangle, bead and coin. Also, the sweat factor. When you dance, you get warm, and I've always hated a sweaty neck. Go figure.



I have to travel to gigs, and I cannot drive (at least a 35 minute drive to gigs) with a bun in. So I braid snug and spray the front and top. I don't have AC in my truck, so I have to have my windows open in summer. I both spray and use a bandanna in a biker/raghead arrangement to keep from blowing apart. I arrive and build my infinity bun from the braid, which holds very solidly! (I'm still impressed by that! Woohoo!) Then I put the decorations and flowers in, and everything stays. I'm often doing this in a parking lot. Nothing has fallen apart yet!

NOTE: Tribal rocks! Hee!

[sakuramoon08]

I have been a a pro dancer and I know everything about a long hair and buns, updos etc. It took me a while to realize how stressful was for my hair to use tons of chems like hairspray and so. So finally i stared using DIY concoctions.

The best one i can remember, had a base of linseed gel (you can find the recipe online), several oils, glycerin, aloe vera, and I recall I add something like xantan gum or similar to add extra hold. You have to experiment with it and see how it comes, how it does while performing and refine your formula.

For me what it worked the best was oiling the inner part of my ponytail and the external layer with the extra hold formula i did. While still wet do my updo, and once finished add and extra amount to the areas of the scalp and the bun or updo external and outer layer.

Some of my friends mist their hair with lemon, sugar and water. That is a good spray mist but my dark hair disliked lemon as it was very dry and gave my hair unwanted warmth.

My mix took a while to dry so when in a hurry I would spray de outer layer just with regular hair-spray instead my mix.

I wish I had kept the recipes of my DIY extra hold concoctions as I remember I refined them over the time and that worked like a charm!

When I became a choreographer was a big relief for my hair, but I passed some of those recipes to my dancers. I will see if I can contact some just in case they keep those recipes...

Lately I don't do much to my hair, just dye roots and all of that but not really into the fashion/dancing world anymore, so natural and air dry is what I have now.

Good luck in your quest!
Wow!!!!! Thanks alot. I'll be sure to try. I've been getting great advice from everyone, and I'm really grateful to you all!!!!!! I will try the oil/bun look. I just hope my baby hairs will all stay slicked down.

[rusika1]

Two coiled braided buns side by side up high on your head? Or two braids coiled to make one big bun high on your head? Either way, instead of bobby pins to hold the buns, use spin pins, good day hairpins, amish pins or the heavy duty wire hair pins.

I agree with all the pro-oil people out there; oil it heavily all over before you put it up. Try it a few times during rehearsals and see how it holds. You could also consider aloe vera gel.

I did Balkan folk dance and so just wore braids and scarves. Much easier on the hair.

Oh, and take a look at this video--http://www.youtube.com/user/CinnamonCurls
CinnamonCurls used to be active on LHC; this was the bun she used in ballet.

[emelnd]

Isn't the traditional look for belly dancing a ponytail, or a bun with loose hair anyway?:)

Even waist length could be scary in terms of catching in things, especially if other people/children decide to dance with you. This is all theoretical of course... I would not have the courage to actually perform as a belly dancer.

[archel]

I have seen tribal fusion dancers dance with their hair down, like Zoe Jakes of Beats Antique - however, she does not wear upper arm bracelets or hip skirts with coins, her costumes are usually of fabric that wouldn't catch or pull. I think the only thing that might be an issue in that case is rings on the fingers. Anyway, I love the styles the fusion dancers do with the hair up though, with lots of embellishments like large flowers and when Zoe does this she has these little curls she styles onto her face like a vintage 1940's starlet. SO lovely.

[Yame]

Isn't the traditional look for belly dancing a ponytail, or a bun with loose hair anyway?:)

Even waist length could be scary in terms of catching in things, especially if other people/children decide to dance with you. This is all theoretical of course... I would not have the courage to actually perform as a belly dancer.

What you are probably thinking of is the harem girl or genie stereotype.

The "traditional" look for belly dancing has the hair down, loose. Belly dancers in the Middle East almost never wear their hair up for performances, and when belly dance was brought over to the US and other countries, most dancers in those countries did the same.

To this date, belly dancers in the Middle East and belly dancers abroad whose style is still based in the Middle Eastern styles will wear their hair down most of the time (sometimes you want a change and will try a different style for a performance).

Only tribal style (ATS, tribal fusion, etc) and other fusion belly dancers might wear their hair up for more performances than not, but this is a general statement. Some tribal fusion dancers wear their hair up most or all the time, and some (fewer) wear it down more often than not. The tribal offshoots of belly dance are American inventions, so they are not authentic Middle Eastern styles. I don't mean this as an insult, just as a fact. Updos in belly dance are not traditional. It doesn't mean they are bad or wrong, just that they are more of a Western thing.

[emelnd]

What you are probably thinking of is the harem girl or genie stereotype.

The "traditional" look for belly dancing has the hair down, loose. Belly dancers in the Middle East almost never wear their hair up for performances, and when belly dance was brought over to the US and other countries, most dancers in those countries did the same.

To this date, belly dancers in the Middle East and belly dancers abroad whose style is still based in the Middle Eastern styles will wear their hair down most of the time (sometimes you want a change and will try a different style for a performance).

Only tribal style (ATS, tribal fusion, etc) and other fusion belly dancers might wear their hair up for more performances than not, but this is a general statement. Some tribal fusion dancers wear their hair up most or all the time, and some (fewer) wear it down more often than not. The tribal offshoots of belly dance are American inventions, so they are not authentic Middle Eastern styles. I don't mean this as an insult, just as a fact. Updos in belly dance are not traditional. It doesn't mean they are bad or wrong, just that they are more of a Western thing.

I'm Turkish... I don't know much about other countries, and not a professional dancer though!

[Yame]

I'm Turkish... I don't know much about other countries, and not a professional dancer though!

Interesting! Well I confess I am much more rooted in the Arab traditions, but I've seen many Turkish dancers on video and most of them had their hair down. The only one I can think of that I've seen with her hair up was Nesrin Topkapi (who by the way was my favorite Turkish dancer and one of my favorite dancers in general), but that seemed more like an exception to the rule.

[emelnd]

Nesrin Topkapi might have shaped my conception of professional bellydancers! Lol she was the only one on TV for a long time when I was a kid. We waited for her to show up on TV on new years...

Here's another one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReBlUf9z86Y . I am not a big fan of her. I will admit that because of my dislike of her personality, I have never given her dancing any chance.

Here's another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc1IB2hWP68&feature=related

Yeah, a lot of the newer Turkish dancers, especially the famous ones, have their hair down.

A lot of the ones I have seen live had some sort of hair accessory, or had their hair half up, if they had really long hair.

[washurei]

i'm a belly dancer and wear my hair down for performances, I wear it up for practice once n a while though.What i do is part my hair into two sections (because of my bangs the right side is bigger so i can just take it out no problem) then on each 1/2 i use a crown braid until i get to the base of my neck then when both sides are done, with the remaining length i use a herringbone braid and tie the end off.
When I take it out i get slightly curly waves.
you can try a simple crown braid if this doesn't work

[flapjack]

I dance, too, but it's 99% classical ballet performances, so it's all-bun-all-the-time for me. I figured out a way to do it without causing any pulling or damage after years of trial and error. Damp, no rubber band for the ponytail, light twisting and inserting huge roller pins in the hair as I wrap it around, put some oil on the ends and tuck them under, spray some hairspray on the palms with water and maybe oil and then slick the top. That's it. If I want to make it look like it's down onstage, I put a fall/hairpiece over my bun and pin it into my bun and sometimes I've worn straight up full-head wigs. Ballet and jazz involve so many jumps and turns, that wearing it down is not only messy but kind of dangerous.

Another good option for rehearsals is the french twist with the ends all tucked and pinned under. It's still all up like a bun, but it at least looks different. French twists are getting popular in ballet, too, actually. Not for shows, but in class, definitely.