Thread: What is up with stragely dancers?

Kajira had a great quote in her book Tribal Bible:

Makeup is costuming for your face.

I agree the teacher should help inform. Before the first performance of our student troupe, my instructor had a special session solely for Make-up and hair. (I know that bed head thing really annoys her,m::). I was so happy she did. I never wear make-up. I had no clue how to wear any of it - especially for the stage. I think it made us all feel a bit better.

For the makeup challenged, I LOVE www.makeupgeek.com. Just click on the tutorials and you'll have a host of videos that show you how to achieve each particular look. I liked the "How to do Foil Pigments." Who knew you could use visine in your eye shadow to create that look?

Originally Posted by Zyzzyva

For the makeup challenged, I LOVE www.makeupgeek.com. Just click on the tutorials and you'll have a host of videos that show you how to achieve each particular look. I liked the "How to do Foil Pigments." Who knew you could use visine in your eye shadow to create that look?

Wow, how fun is that site?! I watched her do peacock eyes. Cool! Now I noticed that she put the eyeliner on after she put the eye shadow on. Do you always do that? I've been doing it the other way around.

I usually do eyeliner last, because that's the most distinctive part of my eye makeup look and I do something different each time. Just depends on my mood!

Originally Posted by maliam

I completely agree! And MAC makes the best stuff. I try to remind gals that you're supposed to outshine your costume, not the other way around. Too many women are scared of makeup; and too many don't understand the idea of stage makeup. Yes you look like a drag show up close in normal lights, but when you hit the stage (even a raised hafla stage) it dies down. Don't forget the people at the BACK of the room; they need to see you too

It's not that we are scared of makeup but that we have sensitive skin and some of us (raising hand) are allergic to most brands of makeup (MAC {cringe}). I'm not knowledgeable to all the brands of makeup for sensitive skin but I do know that the make up in the drug stores for sensitive skin don't really have all that much staying power or bright colors that MAC or others do.

I can understand the gripe about the hair but please, be a little more sensitive about dancers who have allergies/sensitivities towards makeup brands.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

Kajira had a great quote in her book Tribal Bible:

Makeup is costuming for your face.

That is beautiful.

:)

Originally Posted by mieldance

So, my question is, how important do you think a mani/pedi with polish is to your performance? I've been doing all the prep stuff, but not painting, or just doing a clear or nude. Is that horrible?

at least you're making the effort to do *something*, so that's not horrible. but I really feel like it's best if you have colored polish on your toes. for your hands, I'm with you - I have two little kids and a house to keep up and my nails are very thin and bendy so if I get a manicure, it has to be at the very earliest the night before a show, after the kids have gone to bed. I'll make it through the next day with hopefully only one or two chips and be fine enough for the show. but ideally I get a manicure the same day. if I can find the time.

polished nails don't have to be long to be pretty. and there are some great products out there to help keep them looking nice a tiny bit longer. I love seche vite topcoat, because it allows me to polish my nails at the last minute or just before I go to bed. I also love the new nail polish decals. they actually last on me for a couple of days (vs a couple of hours sometimes with regular polish).

I was in a really big show last weekend and I felt sooo bad that I wasn't able to get my fingernails done in time. :/ probably not too many people noticed live, but my bare nails are documented forever in the photos.

one more thing - do what you want with your nails for gigs, but if you have a studio photo shoot, not having your fingers and nails done is just downright wrong.

I am very new to the whole make-up thing and I am super glad that Ahiza is coming to town the week before my performance to do her workshop so I will have a true pro to show me what is what.

I have long straight hair too and I like to just leave it down with a head band of some form to stop the sweat from running into my eyes.

It is interesting, even before starting this dance I always associated BD'ers with the whole glam look- exotic eyes, beautiful hair. But maybe that was just me.

I am so hardcore about makeup and hair! I don't always get to my nails but if not I wear dance heels most of the time so you don't see my toes. I explained this glam perspective to my students before their first show. I must have gotten them all excited because they all showed up looking fabulous with great hair and make-up! Made me so proud! But that's what my teacher taught me and my mom when I was doing theatre as a kid. There is your everyday face and then there is a whole different level appropriate for performing.

MAC is just an example for me of make-up that's meant for the stage and lasts well. I don't have sensitive skin so I haven't done the research on what's out there. There must be stuff though, because that's a considerable market?

There are ways to do a heightened version of a natural look for the dancers who prefer not to look so dragged out. Where I dance my restaurant gig, I'm in the audience's faces so I prefer not to frighten them with a full-on diva look, but I think I pull off the polished look quite nicely.

My friend and I had a little workshop for our troupe mates on stage make-up precisely for this reason. "Costuming for the face" is a great way to look at it!

Mani/Pedi- I at least do clear polish on my fingernails. I hardly ever dance barefoot anymore so I don't worry too much about matching toenails or whatever, but nailpolish is also one of my retail weaknesses...

Thanks, Linnyg! I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to lack of education on the subject.
Which is why I included BOTH hair and makeup tips, in an effort to provide as holistic approach as possible. You can see what models look like in costume before and after hair/makeup application. Total world of difference.

Originally Posted by KelsNasim

I agree the teacher should help inform. Before the first performance of our student troupe, my instructor had a special session solely for Make-up and hair. (I know that bed head thing really annoys her,m::). I was so happy she did. I never wear make-up. I had no clue how to wear any of it - especially for the stage. I think it made us all feel a bit better.

Same here. Before my first performance ever with a troupe, my teacher held a makeup and hair workshop. Every one of us came, learned appropriate theatrical makeup, and talked about appropriate / inappropriate hair. And let me tell you--it shows when you compare students who have taken from this instructor (even if they have moved out on their own now, or to other instructors) and students who have not, in our local arena.

Thanks so much ladies. You guys rock. I feel so lucky to have found you!

I didn't wear makeup for most of my twenties. What I did know I'd learned from a woman at the bodyshop, until I sublet a suite from a woman who had been a model. She gave me my first pedicure and took me makeup shopping. Before that, I thought that eyeliner and mascara with tinted lip balm was all done up! Jon Hennessey really taught me to do stage makeup last year on that Shimmy show. I WAS frightened the first time he got me ready for the "performance" shots, though, lol.

I really wish that one of my instructors had even mentioned hair or makeup to me before performing. I did used to french braid my hair (it was really long and straight at that point) the night before, but hadn't a clue about product. I wish I'd had this resource when I was a baby belly!!!

Again, thanks. It's really great to have so many lovely ladies to pose my questions to. *BIG HUGS*

Unfortunately I think people get bad information on this subject. I grew up reading Seventeen and Cosmo and have always loved makeup and playing with my hair. My mom always teases me that belly dancing is just an excuse for me to use my hot rollers. But I've met dancers who in their non-dance lives don't know to shower before coming to work. Or they've been told: "Wear so much makeup you think you face is going to fall off." But a lot of badly applied make is still just badly applied makeup. So you get burned going out of the house looking like a psychotic circus clown and then get weary of ending up like that again. I've been trying to direct people to Bhuz or some of the books on makeup at the library for help on that front.

But the people who just tend to have poor hygiene will probably never really get the message.

I just heard of this phenomena. Myself and everyone I know think bellydancers should look glamorous. I will admit to not always painting my nails but I do something to them beforehand and I always do stage makeup. How else would people see my expression? I'm not great with hair but at least it's clean and brushed.

I must say, I really dislike wearing makeup, and don't, most of the time. I don't have allergies or anything, I just hate the way it makes my skin feel, I hate the expectation that I should wear makeup, and I just find the whole process of putting it on and taking it off fairly boring. So, I only wear it on special occasions, and WHEN I'M PERFORMING. It doesn't matter that I dislike it generally, it's part of the package.

Originally Posted by KelsNasim

(I know that bed head thing really annoys her,m::).

Am I that transparent? ..l;,..l;,..l;,..l;,

That said, I always have my toes polished, but never my fingers. I do keep them neatly trimmed and rounded, though.

Amartia told me about this thread and I know of a makeup line for people with super sensitive skin that is organic based. Naturismo.

Me personally, I was probably born with makeup and heels on! ..g.: A good Puerto Rican joke is that PR baby girls get a baby bottle, gold bangles, a mirror, and a tube of lipstick in the crib. It never occurs to me not to present a full picture on stage, heck it is a challenge for me to even go to the grocery store uncoiffed and without a smidge of makeup. But if not trained or if they are unaware of makeup being icing on the cake, a lot of dancers may not understand the importance of "completing the canvas" before strutting on stage, any stage.


I look at Egyptian/Lebanese singers and dancers I admire and think how glamorous. One Egyptian lady backstage tsk'ed my makeup and said I was not wearing enough. Me? lol

Try Naturismo (a UK Company). I love the Suki lipgloss (an ebay find). Organic Natural Cosmetics. Organic Skin Care, Make Up and Beauty Products. Naturisimo UK.


Lotus Niraja

I understand that some people feel that, "I shouldn't have to change who I am to be a bellydancer". Nope, you sure shouldn't, but you do have to change if you want to be a pro and that's a pro in anything. You have to maintain professional standards, no matter what your chosen career path. If you want to be a pro bellydancer and dance onstage, then it is necessary that you wear stage makeup. You don't see ballerinas or Broadway actresses complaining, because they realize that the costume is a vital part of the job and makeup is a vital part of the costume. You cannot hope to emote effectively onstage without the use of makeup. You make it impossible for your audience to see and understand you. You're basically a moving mannequin - a costume on a body with a faceless head.

And if you're a professional restaurant dancer, that is still a stage. It doesn't require as heavy a hand at makeup application, but it does require makeup. You are there to offer a service and that service is to give the clientele a sense of mystery, exoticism and glamour. I believe one should reserve the soap and water face and scraggly hair for rehearsals or dance class.

what makeda said..........

i've had what was referred to as 'granola girls' all up for blingy costumes but disdained the idea of make-up, go on about 'i'm beautiful as i am...i shouldnt have to....yadayadayada...."

......until they saw a vid of themselves!....EXPECIALLY on stage......the costumes sparkled and blinged like mad, but the face getting lost in blank canvas, eyes and lips barely seen or noticed......THAT is what sent them to the MAC counter......

there were lots of well meaning dancers telling them, but it took SEEING it to convince them, and now, former 'granola girls' are now diva-glamor-pusses.......

i personally like it, but for some, they realize it's a necessary evil....that and smooth, well groomed hair.......

I have a hard time with makeup. As I grow a little older, I wear a bit for daily wear. I used to wear next to nothing. But I am a very pale blonde with small, almond-shaped eyes, and it is hard to get the balance right. I feel like I have to do myself up like a porn star just to get a little "pop". Everyone who sees me who's used to my "regular" face runs away screaming. My Husband always covers his eyes when he sees me in stage makeup, like, "Ahhh! I'm scared!"

Also I had a well-meaning friend do my makeup for a show once. While the concept was cool, and she used glittery Mac makeup, my eyes looked really freaky in some photos. You couldn't even see my tiny eyes; they were so elongated and covered in glitter. I also have no eyebrows, and look really freaky with dark eyebrow pencil. The same friend, with frustration, said, "You're features are very fine," meaning they're so delicate that the makeup can overpower them. So I'm still trying to find that balance.

Thanks for that makeup Geeks site. I'll check it out. I'm tired of people trying to do my eyes up in these huge elongated Cat's eyes. I need a new look.

Amen to this thread! I live in 'patchouli' land here (thanks for that mish mish hahaha) and there hasn't been a lot of focus on the performance aspect of this dance as opposed to the, um, organic aspect.

Then I moved here. (muahahaha) I kinda feel like one of the queens in 'To Wong Foo...' Glitter for everyone!

i'm plugging for azhia here..........

invest in her make-up dvd.............one of those, dancers for dancers kinda deals.........she knows our pain and will give step by step to meet every color, complexion, feature, etc........... be u blonde, asian, woman of color, purple or polka dot, she knows her stuff and it's an amazing investment!