Ballet Bun 101

Many of the recital dances require dancers to have their hair in a slicked back ballet bun with no bangs.  But what’s the best way to get such a smooth bun?  CVDA has some tips for you!

  1. Wet or dampened hair works best.  Spray your hair with a spray bottle of water before you brush your hair into a ponytail.
  2. Gel is your friend!  Add a little gel to the top and sides of your hairline, where your fly aways tend to escape from.
  3. Use a “smoothie brush” to brush your hair into a ponytail.  Regular brushes with plastic bristles create separations in your hair and isn’t a smooth brush.  Any brush with close bristles will brush hair back uniformly.
  4. Your hair band should match your natural hair color.  When you put your hair in a ponytail, use an elastic that matches your hair color and blends in.  If you use a colored hair tie, it may be seen under the stage lights.
  5. Bobby pins should match your hair color too!  Blondes, don’t use black pins. Brunettes, don’t use blonde or metallic pins.
  6. Not all bobby pins are the same!  Find a pin that suits your hair type.  Smaller pins are better for thin hair.  Long jumbo pins work best for thick hair.  If you know you have troublesome hair, some pins have a rubber inside that helps hold your hair in place.
  7. Twist your ponytail into a rope and wrap it around the hair tie.  Be sure to pin the twisted ponytail to your head as you wrap it around. When you bobby pin your bun, pin your hair like numbers on a clock.
  8. Don’t forget a hair net!  Select a hair net that is similar to your natural hair color and wrap it around the bun after you’ve pinned it.  For dancers with layers in their hair, this will help keep the shorter layers tucked down and not sticking up all over the place.
  9. Hairpiece’s need to be pinned too!  If your recital dance requires you to have a headpiece, check with your teacher or classroom mom to see what side of your bun it should go on.  Be sure to use enough pins to secure it to your head so that when you shake your head back and forth, it doesn’t fall out.  This little test will make sure it doesn’t come out when dancing either!