Dear Poppy,
The Spring Showcase is days away and I don’t know what to do with my hair and make-up. Should I put my hair up or leave it down? Should I wear mascara or blush? Oh, Poppy, what would you suggest as a general rule for make-up and hair for a Showcase?
Almost Ready
Dear Almost Ready,
Honey, hair and make-up are a big deal. As as one wise dance teacher once told me, hair and make-up should be all that you worry about just before a showcase, so you don’t get nervous thinking about your dancing.
We have to style our hair for the dances we are performing. If you are doing a lot of Latin, then I would wear the hair up and out of the face. A showcase is usually more relaxed than a competition, so you could wear your hair down, or curled or styled. My advice is to wear it how you feel most comfortable. However, if you pull it back or put it up, it will stay out of your face.
Now I need to address make-up. I know most of us have heard that less is more. But when it comes to performing, darling, it’s the more that makes you stand out! You want to highlight your eyes, lips, cheekbones, etc. So use eyeliner and lots of mascara. Don’t forget to darken your eyebrows, too. Choose a complementary eye shadow to your eye color. Use long-lasting lip coloring and bring gloss to keep your lips looking moist and shiny.
Blush away on the apple of your cheeks and low-light your cheekbones. Again, makeup for a showcase isn’t as heavy as for a competition, but you do want your features to stand out. I’m sure you will look lovely, honey, and will dance happy!
Ms. Poppy Chiffon — the doyenne of dance, the baroness of ballroom etiquette, the sultana of Southern hospitality — is pleased to answer your dance-related questions. Here are a few queries that Poppy deigned to extract from her mailbag this week. If you have a question that you would like Poppy Chiffon to address, please e-mail her at askpoppy@dancestationusa.com. Ms. Chiffon regrets that she cannot respond individually to questions.
