How To Wear Your Hair for Dance Perfomances

One of the most frustrating things for me, as a parent with a performing teenager is what the heck do i do with her hair????  I don't know about you but my daughter is 13 and although she brushes her hair every morning she just leaves it down all day and it just looks messy all the time.  Even when she puts it in a pony tail it looks good for a little while but after running around and especially after dancing a bit, it's all ratty and messy again.  I have several performances of her and her dancing is great but my friends always notice how her hair is not "done".  So i decided to do a bit of research and see what i could find on how other people do their kids hair for performances and if maybe other parents have the same issue.  I mean it's all good when they are young because we just do it for them but now that she is a teenager, she won't let me touch it.

Since there are different dance styles, there are different hair styles.  A general rule of thumb is, keep it out of your face so it remains visible to the audience and you can stay coordinated throughout the performance.  You don't want to block your vision.

My favorite style, which of course my daughter hates, is the Bun:

Bun

This is actually the most common hairstyle for dancers.  It can be worn high or low and keeps the hair pulled back away from the face.  It also provides a sleek and professional appearance.  It can be made simple or very elegant and ribbons or flowers can be added for additional beauty. 

French Braid

Alot of dancers like the French braid.  It keeps the hair pulled back but gives the style an elegant appearance.  I am not particularly fond of the french braid because A. the dancer normally needs someone else to do it for them and B. It gets messy fairly quickly if not used with alot of hairspray and gel.  If done properly though it can be very sophisticated and work well with perfomances.

Ponytail/Pigtails

This is my daughters favorite because it is easy and quick.  It is the most common hairstyle around the world.  The simplicity alone can complement the dance and you can add ribbons, flowers, hairpieces or jewels to fit the style of dance being performed.  Once again, ponytails get messy quick if you don't use hairspray and/or gel to keep it nice.  It's great for practice but for performance you want it sleek and professional.

Wearing It Down

Everyone has different hair types.  By keeping it down you can showcase your own personal style and uniqueness. Clips, headbands, pins or other accessories can be added but make sure it isn't something that will fly off during spins or turns or flips.  My daughter loves her hair to fly around while performing but to me it looks messy and unkempt when it's down.  Most performers don't wear their hair down.

Curls

You can curl your hair for a nice, elegant look.  Some dancers have natural curls and they should emphasize them if it looks nice.  Curls are a good hairstyle for any style of dance but can add a very soft, subtle look to slower styles of dancing such as ballet, modern or lyrical.
Funky Hair

Funky hairstyles usually go with hip hop or modern dances.  You can tease your hair and get a crazy, outlandish look.  Throw in some color, spikes or braids and it will be a great match for your funky dance number.

Remember that however you wear your hair, it should be professional looking and not be flying all over.  You want people to see you DANCE, not be distracted by your hair style. 

I found a youtube video that will show you how to do some cool curls with your daughters hair.