Dance Team Hairpieces: How To's and Buying Guide
Cheerleading squads, dance teams, and majorette groups all have two essential things in common.
One, they are all, most definitely, SPORTS. Don’t come at us, pop-warner-coaches-who-have-no-idea-how-hard-cheerleaders-and-dancers-work.
Two, the team’s appearance is part of their total competition score. Part of that score comes from how well your team matches.
Everyone on your team needs to have the same shoes, socks, uniform, makeup, and hair. Because everyone needs to have the same look, finding hair pieces that work for your entire squad is key. Not only that, but they also have to meet your competition’s length and size guidelines and STAY on your team’s heads (no deductions for stepping on poorly attached hair pieces for us, thank you very much).
We put together an easy guide to choosing and styling girls hair pieces so that everyone on your team looks competition ready.
CHOOSING YOUR CHEER CURLS
True Colors: Finding the Perfect Hue for Your Whole Team
Fact: a red hairpiece will not look good on a brunette’s head. Guaranteeing you find the right color for all the members of your squad is critical. A well-matched hairpiece can make it look like you spent hours curling everyone’s hair, rather than only spending the five it took you to attach their cheer curls.
Before you purchase your squad’s hair pieces, order a color ring. Color rings are the best way to ensure you buy the best color for each girl.
When you’re color matching, swatch to the roots, not the ends of the hair. For a competition, you’ll need to pull back your team’s hair in braids or a ponytail. If you choose a color that doesn’t match the roots, the hair will look mismatched.
Cropped Hair, Bobbed Hair, Short Hair, Long Hair: Hair Piece Lengths and Styles
Most cheer, dance and majorette competitions have strict regulations regarding hair length. Be sure to check your governing body’s website, like USACheer.org, to make sure the pieces you’re buying are up to code.
Something else to keep in mind when choosing hair pieces for your team: the style needs to be practical. Their hair needs to stay in place during basket tosses, layouts, toe-touches, and dance routines. Pick something that will stay out of the team’s faces and stay on their heads.
STYLING HAIR PIECES
Caring for Hair Before Competitions
How your team should treat their hair depends on the type of hair they have.
If their hair is very fine and straight, skip washing and conditioning the night before. Hair that is just a little “dirty” will be easier to style and require much less product.
If their hair is thicker and straight, you should also skip the nightly wash and condition. The more volume, the better. A little dry shampoo should take care of any grease issues that might occur.
If their hair is curly, absolutely wash and conditioner the hair (but not the hair piece!). As parents of a curly-haired child will know, if you do not wash and condition the hair it can be impossible to manage the next day.
Application Tools: Bobby Pins, Clips, and Hair Ties
For the comfort of your squad, avoid using sharp objects in their hair. If they come loose during a routine, they can be very uncomfortable. Fabric or plastic accessories will keep everyone comfortable and prevent a broken bobby pin meltdown.
Another important tip: tell your team to put their bodysuits and tops on BEFORE you do their hair! If they wait to put their uniform on until after you’ve done their hair, pulling a tight bodysuit over the top of the that will mess everything up.
Choosing a Style
In the words of Torrance Shipman: squads are cheer-ocracies, not democracies. As coaches, you get to pick the hairpiece and the style of the hair underneath.
There are a couple of ways to pull back your team’s hair. First, the classic ponytail will never let you down. Position your pony in different spots to create different playful looks.
You could also opt for the ponytail’s ‘little’ sister, pigtails. If you choose pigtails, keep in mind that you’ll need two separate hairpieces for each girl.
Last, braids provide a sassy look that will give your team some attitude.
Conversely, braid your girl’s hair back in cornrows for a sassy look with some attitude. Hairpieces that are naturally teased pair best with cornrows.
Ribbons, Bows, and Ties
No competition look is complete without a big, colorful bow or ribbon. Have some fun experimenting with matching or contrasting colors against your uniforms.
We hope this guide helps you on your path to competition victory!