Thread: A slightly weird question about hair....

Hi all-
I wanted to get your opinions about a question I have had on my mind for some time. I have fairly long and thick hair. In the climate where I live and my work life this is very hard to deal with but I want to get to the stage where I dont need to wear a hairpiece.

I am thinking having my hair short again would be soooo much easier, but I love having longer hair when I am dancing so.... my question is-

Is it tacky to have short hair and then completely change things by wearing a wig when I am dancing??? .w.:

Any advice or opinions would be great

Why would it be tacky? Just make sure you get a good quality fall. Consider it part of your costume.

I hope not, because that would mean I was pretty tacky for the first three years I was dancing! I had a pixie cut, but when dancing I wore a 3/4 wig that was about bra band length.

Most dancers I know love recreational hair, for themselves and on others!

did it for years, just use really good pinning techniques ;)

I never felt comfortable wearing 3/4 falls and clip-on ponytails when my hair was short; I wore them because my short hair was not stage worthy but didn't enjoy it. I can only imagine how terrible a full wig would be to wear.

For me personally, it became very important to me to have my hair moving as an extension of my body and a part of my dance, so I decided to grow my hair long and keep it long. It is not quite as long as I want it so I wear some clip in human hair extensions that are very comfortable -- but a few more inches and my hair will be as long as the extensions.

But I know other professional dancers that have short hair and wear hairpieces, so obviously everyone is different.

Like ssipes, I also like feeling my hair moving as an extenstion of my body.

I miss my hair (cut it off in June)!

Can you try out extensions, etc., to see how you 'feel' in them when you dance?

I don't think its tacky to do whatever you are comfortable with. I've been contemplating the wig option. My hair is short (chin length) and now purple and blue. I haven't decided just what I'm going to do yet. lol

As long as you get a good wig that looks natural and is made out of human hair, who has to know its fake hair? I can't stand wigs that look like wigs. Also it has to be human hair or the hair doesn't move right. Anything else just looks kinda off.

Instead of cutting off all your hair, maybe cut it just to a shorter but still long length? Like if your hair is at the waist, cut to to to be at the bra line or a little above. Or even have it layered which thins out the hair some and lightens the load. I live in South West Florida and I have long hair so I feel your pain.

Nooo!
Many,many dancers sport a chic short cut in private and lush locks on stage(examples:Jillina,Lucy,Aida Nour,Randa etc)

Optional hair,lashes and bra padding is part of a glamourous costume IMHO:)

I have a pixie cut now and before a Louise Brooks bob-
3/4 falls added length and volume so the bob became a "Bahaia cut"with bangs.

Since I have even shorter hair now I use the Tressallure "Soiree" wig:
Soiree Wig - TressAllure Wigs (Monofilament Left Part)

And "Freely" by Alan Eaton in khaleej dance:
Freely Wig - Alan Eaton Wigs

I fasten it with toupee clips and pull out wisps of my own hair in front.

Good wigs and falls are made in a very light synthetic fibre;
people refuse to believe it´s not human hair or that I wear extra hair.

Several high quality brands make their wigs/falls in blended colors that also have darker roots,which makes the illusion complete!

I love wearing my "barbie" hair to perform. It's way too hot out here for me to grow my hair as long as I would like to, not to mention when it gets too long my hair looks ratty no matter what I do. "Barbie" hair allows me to have as many looks as I want without having to deal with the hassles of long hair. Plus I don't have to worry about any bad hair days for shows...lol.

Thanks for the advice ladies :) I do love wearing wigs :) Less work to do to get ready, hee hee :) Im going to think on it a little longer. Im scared that if I cut it all off Ill be sad.

Right now I'm sporting a pixie cut, as usual, though I've dyed my hair jet black. Shorter hair can look quite stylish/dramatic if it's an intense or unusual color. Hair accessories can make all the difference in pulling a costume together, as well as glitter gels and sprays that are out in the stores right now because of my favorite holiday, Halloween!!!

Shorter hair can have alot of movement if its cut correctly, so if it makes you more comfortable, go for it!

I had very short hair for years and wore a 3/4 wig (but never liked it) or clip-on ponies most of the time to perform.

Now my hair is shoulder length and I sometimes perform without them. But really, the Lee Press-On Hair makes getting ready faster, adds to the larger-than-life glamour, and holds a style better than my real hair. I do think of it like lashes or lipstick -- me, only pumped up!

Have you tried keeping the length but wearing it up (bun or French twist) in daily life? Once you get the hang of the technique, it only takes a few minutes to style in the morning. In addition, there are lots of accessory options on the market to add funky or elegant touches to your hairdo so it won't look frumpy and librarianish--and the accessories will cost a fraction of what a good wig for dancing would.

I think it seems weird only if the dancer doesn't maintain the illusion offstage--like if she comes out after changing, but the audience would still see her and know she's a/the dancer, because of the makeup, suitcase, or whatever, but she's removed her hair. When I wear my clip-on pony, I don't remove it after a show until I get into my vehicle and no audience members can see me. (I don't wait until I get home, because I find it uncomfortable to drive with the pony bumping against the head rest.)

One dancer I know has very short hair and always wears a wig to perform. Sometimes she goes brown and sometimes she goes blond, depending on her mood and costumes. I have long-ish hair (bra length), but I wear clip-in hair to add volume and glamour.

Part of my getting ready/packing for a show routine includes the following list:

- dance hair--check
-dance boobs--check
-dance eyelashes--check

*g*

I had waist length hair, but for various reasons just cut to a shaggy pixie - this is my troupe's month off, I'm waiting for my fake hair to arrive - I got a 3/4 wig with bra strap length hair to add when I'm onstage and want the extra oomph - but since we're tribal fusion in our costuming, I can also get away with a funky spiked 'do if I want to.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

Have you tried keeping the length but wearing it up (bun or French twist) in daily life? Once you get the hang of the technique, it only takes a few minutes to style in the morning. In addition, there are lots of accessory options on the market to add funky or elegant touches to your hairdo so it won't look frumpy and librarianish--and the accessories will cost a fraction of what a good wig for dancing would.

I have hair to my thighs that I wear in a long braid most of the time.

I just got a little clip-in pony tail with little bitty braids in it, put it above my single braid, then put the braid up in a bun with the fake pony draping over it. It's cute!

(don't cut your hair!) ..cr.: (but that's just me; it takes a long time to grow it out)

Never! In fact, I'm thinking of doing the same thing because I've had the same hairstyle - very long - for most of my life. However, believe it or not, I find my hair easy maintenance because I get layers which allow it to dry naturally and look good. It is literally wash and dry, except drying time is much longer than shorter hair.

Oops, I wandered off - sorry!

I think cute short hair looks good on a lot of dancers, without the wig. Think Samia Gamal or Mata Hari style. You'd then have the option of short or long depending on your mood.

That being said, you do have *beautiful* hair!

I used to have longer hair but over the years it's gotten thinner and I've been wearing ponytail falls and 3/4 caps for the last 10+ years.

think long and hard about cutting off your hair, especially if it's nice and long and thick. fake hair is NOTHING like real hair to dance in. at least in my experience. it tangles and catches easier in your zills and jewelry and on your costume. if it gets caught in your eyelash or a lock gets stuck on your face while you're dancing, it's a lot harder than natural hair to shake off and back into place. it will never feel as secure as your natural hair, so you may find yourself feeling limited in your movement or expression. there are movements you just can't do with a wig, like flipping your hair forward and then slowly drawing it back over your head with your arm. wigs tend to fall funny if they're flipped upside down for more than a second. ;)

not being able to grow the hair I would love to have for myself, I always feel it's a crime when somebody who *can* grow beautiful hair cuts it off. it's not fair. ;) I would vote for cutting your hair to a shorter yet still long-ish cut, or learning to do your daily hair up in a bun or updo.

Thanks again for all the comments and opinions ladies :) Im still tossing up and down. Wont be doing anything until I am sure :) I am lucky to have such thick hair but at the same time its a lot of work to maintain :(

Originally Posted by monsoondancer

Thanks again for all the comments and opinions ladies :) Im still tossing up and down. Wont be doing anything until I am sure :) I am lucky to have such thick hair but at the same time its a lot of work to maintain :(

3/4 falls are very very hot when you wear them

Originally Posted by monsoondancer

Thanks again for all the comments and opinions ladies :) Im still tossing up and down. Wont be doing anything until I am sure :) I am lucky to have such thick hair but at the same time its a lot of work to maintain :(

Have you consulted with a stylist about options for thinning or layering that could take off some of the weight without ruining the overall effect of length?

I have super-super short hair and wear wigs ALL THE TIME, especially on stage. It's become almost a trademark for me - to show up at every event (or even every number) wearing a different wig.

Originally Posted by monsoondancer

Thanks again for all the comments and opinions ladies :) Im still tossing up and down. Wont be doing anything until I am sure :) I am lucky to have such thick hair but at the same time its a lot of work to maintain :(

I am always puzzled by the statement that long hair takes a lot of work to maintain. As my hair gets longer I spend less time futzing with it. Short hair styles take more styling products, daily washing and blowdrying, and start to look crappy if you don't get them cut in a salon every 4-6 weeks.

I trim my own hair every 2 months or so, can skip a day between washings, can get by with fewer products.

For the most part, long hair is maintained by leaving it alone, not using daily heat styling, and wearing it up to protect it from damage.

Why do you think your long hair takes alot of maintenance?

I have very thick hair and it frizzes soooo easily-If I want to wear it out I have to spend a lot of time ironing it to straighten or curling it. A lot of product to to smooth it out and protect it from the heat styling. Wearing it up all the time-like I need to for work-also does some damage to it which makes it worse for when I want to wear it out.

Im thinking its time for a change or something....

Disclaimer:

IF I´ve had beautiful healthy hair I would have loved to wear it long,longer,longest-
but I suffer from PCOS,and I don´t miss the scraggly stringy mess on top o´my head.

So I didn´t mean to say that wigs/falls are "better"-
just that there are alternatives if you decide to go shorter:)

hugs Emma