Men’s DanceSport Hairstyles

The minute you take the floor, judges are forming an opinion of you. The first thing they see is your appearance, and you need to present the image of a champion…classy, classic, sleek and well groomed.  Here are some tips to help you get the right look.

Choosing men’s hairstyles

• A good DanceSport haircut is a must.  Most barbers/hairstylists do not have experience with the needs of a competitive dancer. It’s probably going to take a while to find the right haircutter and you will likely have to give them the information they need to achieve satisfactory results.  (Give them a link to this page to help get things started!)  Get a fresh haircut right before your next comp that leaves the neck clean and free of hair. For smooth/standard, this should be very short on the sides and longer on the top and is usually slicked straight back.  if you have a shorter neck, have the barber take it up a little higher than “normal” so hair doesn’t hang over the collar, which creates a longer neck line. Please share your recommendations of haircutters with us here.  Do it yourself “fade” haircut for dancesport
• World class Latin competitors at Blackpool last year generally wore their hair short like the standard guys and off the collar.
• Every hair should be in place and should not move around, especially for standard/smooth.  Add extra hold gel and/or hairspray in problem areas such as the part, lower back of head and cowlicks.  Gel works better for thick hair and hairspray is better for thin hair.  It’s best to dry gelled hair a bit with a blowdryer set on “high heat, but “low” blow so it will set and look a little less wet. Blowdrying with a round brush will give hair a little more lift at the top of your head.
• If you have a part, make sure it’s absolutely straight.
• Balding hair?  Smaller thinning areas can be filled in with volumizing powders or sprays, but test carefully to make sure they don’t sweat off. Once hair gets thin enough that it’s not easy to cover, it’s best to go with a really short haircut or even bald. Do not comb long strands of hair over bald spots!
• Gray hair can be colored to give a more youthful look, but be careful what shade you select and start experimenting with shades several months before your comp in case you have to test several shades.  Get your hair colored a few days before a comp so that the color is strong and no gray roots are showing.There are two general groups of haircolor available: professional  (normally applied by professional colorists) or drugstore brands you do yourself at home. If you can afford it, save yourself time and frustration by having a professional do it at a salon.  Quite often they will get it right the first time and products are more customizable and longer lasting.  The second best option is to buy professional haircolor at a beauty supply shop like Sally Beauty and get instructions from their staff on how to apply it yourself. Lastly, you could try a permanent drugstore boxed brand, being careful not to drip dye on your floor or walls.  If you have a lot of gray and it’s resistant to color, you’ll probably have to use a pro product for full gray coverage.
• Though a little beard growout might be trendy on the street, it’s too scruffy for the comp floor. Most men are clean-shaven, but those with facial hair should closely trim it and make sure it is symmetrical and neat.