We’re fortunate sufficient to be joined by Steph Midday for todays interview, an skilled, championship profitable dancer {and professional} dance stylist, who’s going to share a few of her experiences with us.
Hello, I’m Steph an Novice Ballroom competitor and full time dance stylist.
I’ve travelled all around the world bettering each my dance abilities and hair and make-up abilities. I’ve been dancing for 23 years and a stylist for 8+ years.For the final 5 years my firm Styled By Steph has been offering hair and make-up companies to all dancers the world over. From these competing of their first U6 competitors, to a number of Skilled World Champions. I assist dancers look and feel their greatest.
You’re an completed dancer your self. Might you inform us extra about that journey
I started dancing at an area medallist faculty at 4 years outdated.
I handed by the medallist system, finishing all of my exams and recurrently competed on the ISTD competitions.
Throughout my juvenile profession, my mum started taking me to look at the UK Open annually, as it’s simply down the street from us. Right here I used to be capable of see the very best dancers on the earth!
We knew then that becoming a member of the open circuit was the following step in my dancing profession. After profitable on the ISTD grand finals I bought myself my first ‘boy’ accomplice.
Throughout my junior and youth profession I competed in each Ballroom and Latin and by the age of 15 I had made the UK Closed Novice 10 dance last, and each youth finals.
By 18 I had grow to be u21 10dance Vice World Champion and finalist within the World Novice 10 dance championships. At 19 I specialised (for the final time, as I additionally had partnerships the place I simply did latin!) in Ballroom.
After a number of years, and a few accomplice adjustments I hit the height of my dancing profession. Within the house of two years with my accomplice Dan, we turned finalists in a number of high Worldwide competitions, Blackpool Rising star finalists, Blackpool novice semi finalists and semi finalists on the earth championships for two years in a row.
We have been very lucky to be invited to compete and carry out all around the world.
How did you get into supporting dancers with their hair for competitions?
I used to be all the time very fortunate. My dance academics would usually assist me with my very own hair and it saved me and my mum many arguments! At round 13 years outdated, I started training to do my very own hair and make-up for competitions.
My trainer would all the time let me know if I had finished a superb job, so from there I used to be capable of hone my abilities.
One British Nationals, my trainer because the time was supposed to assist some girls with their hair, sadly, she wasn’t obtainable, so the job was handed down to a different lady within the faculty.
Final minute she was additionally not capable of assist so off I used to be despatched to those girls inns to do their hair. Fortunately, they beloved it! They requested if I’d be working on the subsequent competitors. The remainder is historical past as they are saying!
Why is hair and sweetness so vital in dance competitions?
As a lot as I imagine that ’the dancing all the time wins’, I additionally imagine that there’s rather a lot that goes into it.
Having your hair and make-up finished, whether or not that’s professionally or should you do it your self may help you achieve the arrogance you want to step onto that flooring.
It may allow you to create a personality, you possibly can determine a brand new persona for that day, and each time you carry out that may be somebody new!
Having your hair, make-up, tan and costume immaculate helps the choose really feel assured that you understand what you’re doing, which can, end in getting one spherical additional. In the end although, I imagine it’s the arrogance it provides the dancer to go on the market and shine. Having some assist to get this proper save your arms from aching and any pre comp tantrums… particularly from doing your personal hair!
So we’re simply going into competitors season – what does that typically contain for you? What does a typical competitors day appear to be for you?
Usually this implies, little or no sleep, plenty of hairspray and loads of admin. As soon as bookings are open, it would usually take me round 12-18 hours of admin to organise a single competitors (usually about 6 hours per day I’m working).
As soon as the majority of the admin is completed, it’s then packing and travelling throughout the nation every weekend to start out work at numerous competitions throughout numerous organisations. Some weekends I’ll attend multiple competitors. A median weekend of labor will appear to be this:
Day 1: unpacking and establishing, between 15-20 hairstyles, roughly a ten hour shift (after journey)
Day 2: between 20-30 hairstyles, roughly a 18 hour shift (beginning at 4am ending by midnight)
Day 3: between 5-10 hairstyles, repacking and shutting down my work station (journey)
Then it’s merely; journey house, spend someday recovering and repeat the method!
As you possibly can think about, packing a 40-60 hour work week right into a weekend could be actually taxing on the physique, so when I’m competing and coaching on the similar time, I will probably be very selective on when and what competitions I can work at. Nevertheless when I’m not competing I can usually be discovered working each weekend.
What kinds of dance do you assist? What hairstyles are trending proper now?
For the time being I concentrate on Ballroom and Latin hair and make-up. Though I’m certified in each hair and make-up, at present I’m solely offering hairstyling appointments (I don’t have sufficient arms for each!)
So far as trending dance hairstyles, I’m very joyful to see that ‘lovely’ kinds are again in trend and we now have moved away from very extreme kinds.
In ballroom, most women go for smooth, glamorous kinds which we crimp the hair to create quantity and waves. In latin, ladies are gravitating between twists and braids, with lengthy ponytails.
Who’re a few of the most well-known dancers you will have labored with?
I’m very fortunate to have labored with a few of the greatest dancers on the earth.
Within the novice division I’ve finished hairstyles for:
novice champion Paulina Glazik, Zia James, Caroly Janes, Rebecca Scott, Mia Hyperlink Holden, Madison Ingoldsby, Olivia King
Within the Skilled division:
Sara Ghigiarelli, Irina Cherepanova, Kristi Boyce, Nataliya Koliada, Emanuel Napolitano, Polina Teleshova, Patrizia Ranus, Marika Doshoris, Morgan Hemphill, Olga Elsbury, Nataliia Beale, Liis Finish, Alisa Margulis
To call a number of!
I’ve additionally been extraordinarily privileged to be a part of the glam staff for each Sara Ghigiarelli’s and Kristi Boyce’s last look throughout their retirement announcement.
What are probably the most novel or difficult requests you will have labored with?
Actually, I can safely say there may be nothing that scares me now!
Nearly all requests I’ve heard earlier than, or I’ve seen earlier than. Essentially the most difficult occasions are for these, as I’ve talked about above, who decide me to be their stylist for his or her retirement competitors. That is after I actually really feel the stress!
Do you will have any recommendation for dancers who’re but to achieve the degrees of competitions you’re employed on, who could also be doing their very own hair?
It’s important to love the WHOLE technique of competitions, so should you don’t but, then it’s time to get training. It’s how I began and it the quickest and best option to be taught.
Observe within the evenings, practise in your days off and by no means strive one thing new on the day of the competitors.
If you need to have the ability to do your personal hair it would solely take follow. In case your mum, sister, dad, whoever, supply to assist or they’re those doing all of your hair, be type! I promise you, they’re attempting their greatest, and should you’re not pleased with how they do it… then it’s time to be taught.
I’ve on-line tutorials obtainable on my web site www.styledbysteph.co.uk instructing you the best way to do your personal hair your self and the way I do mine! On the positioning you can too see which competitions I will probably be attending subsequent – possibly I’ll see you there!
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An Novice Ballroom competitor and full time dance stylist.
I’ve travelled all around the world bettering each my dance abilities and hair and make-up abilities. I’ve been dancing for 23 years and a stylist for 8+ years.
For the final 5 years my firm Styled By Steph has been offering hair and make-up companies to all dancers the world over. From these competing of their first U6 competitors, to a number of Skilled World Champions. I assist dancers look and feel their greatest.
