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We’re fortunate sufficient to be joined by Steph Midday for todays interview, an skilled, championship successful dancer {and professional} dance stylist, who’s going to share a few of her experiences with us.
Hello, I’m Steph an Beginner Ballroom competitor and full time dance stylist.
I’ve travelled all around the world enhancing 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 providers to all dancers internationally. From these competing of their first U6 competitors, to a number of Skilled World Champions. I assist dancers appear 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I started dancing at an area medallist college at 4 years outdated.
I handed by way of the medallist system, finishing all of my exams and frequently 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 highway from us. Right here I used to be in a position to see the most effective dancers on the earth!
We knew then that becoming a member of the open circuit was the subsequent step in my dancing profession. After successful on the ISTD grand finals I acquired myself my first ‘boy’ companion.
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 Beginner 10 dance closing, and each youth finals.
By 18 I had develop into u21 10dance Vice World Champion and finalist within the World Beginner 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 companion modifications I hit the height of my dancing profession. Within the house of two years with my companion Dan, we turned finalists in a number of prime Worldwide competitions, Blackpool Rising star finalists, Blackpool newbie semi finalists and semi finalists on the earth championships for two years in a row.
We had 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 working towards to do my very own hair and make-up for competitions.
My instructor would all the time let me know if I had performed a superb job, so from there I used to be in a position to hone my abilities.
One British Nationals, my instructor because the time was supposed to assist some girls with their hair, sadly, she wasn’t accessible, so the job was handed down to a different woman within the college.
Final minute she was additionally not in a position to assist so off I used to be despatched to those girls accommodations to do their hair. Fortunately, they cherished it! They requested if I’d be working on the subsequent competitors. The remaining is historical past as they are saying!
Why is hair and sweetness so vital in dance competitions?
As a lot as I consider that ’the dancing all the time wins’, I additionally consider that there’s rather a lot that goes into it.
Having your hair and make-up performed, whether or not that’s professionally or if you happen to do it your self might help you achieve the boldness it is advisable to step onto that flooring.
It will probably assist you to create a personality, you possibly can resolve 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 gown immaculate helps the choose really feel assured that what you’re doing, which can, end in getting one spherical additional. In the end although, I consider it’s the boldness 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 usually contain for you? What does a typical competitors day seem like for you?
Typically this implies, little or no sleep, a number of hairspray and loads of admin. As soon as bookings are open, it should 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 begin work at varied competitions throughout varied organisations. Some weekends I’ll attend multiple competitors. A mean weekend of labor will seem like 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 dwelling, spend sooner or later recovering and repeat the method!
As you possibly can think about, packing a 40-60 hour work week right into a weekend may be actually taxing on the physique, so when I’m competing and coaching on the similar time, I might 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 types of dance do you help? What hairstyles are trending proper now?
For the time being I specialize in Ballroom and Latin hair and make-up. Though I’m certified in each hair and make-up, at the moment I’m solely offering hairstyling appointments (I don’t have sufficient arms for each!)
So far as trending dance hairstyles, I’m very completely satisfied to see that ‘lovely’ types are again in vogue and we’ve moved away from very extreme types.
In ballroom, most women go for comfortable, glamorous types which we crimp the hair to create quantity and waves. In latin, women are gravitating between twists and braids, with lengthy ponytails.
Who’re among the most well-known dancers you will have labored with?
I’m very fortunate to have labored with among the greatest dancers on the earth.
Within the newbie division I’ve performed hairstyles for:
newbie 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 workforce for each Sara Ghigiarelli’s and Kristi Boyce’s closing look throughout their retirement announcement.
What are essentially the most novel or difficult requests you will have labored with?
Actually, I can safely say there may be nothing that scares me now!
Virtually all requests I’ve heard earlier than, or I’ve seen earlier than. Probably the most difficult occasions are for these, as I’ve talked about above, who choose me to be their stylist for his or her retirement competitors. That is once I actually really feel the stress!
Do you will have any recommendation for dancers who’re but to succeed in the degrees of competitions you’re employed on, who could also be doing their very own hair?
You need to love the WHOLE technique of competitions, so if you happen to don’t but, then it’s time to get working towards. It’s how I began and it the quickest and best technique to study.
Apply within the evenings, practise in your days off and by no means strive one thing new on the day of the competitors.
If you would like to have the ability to do your personal hair it should solely take observe. In case your mum, sister, dad, whoever, supply to assist or they’re those doing all of your hair, be variety! I promise you, they’re making an attempt their greatest, and if you happen to’re not pleased with how they do it… then it’s time to study.
I’ve on-line tutorials accessible on my web site www.styledbysteph.co.uk instructing you how you can do your personal hair your self and the way I do mine! On the location you may as well see which competitions I might be attending subsequent – possibly I’ll see you there!
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An Beginner Ballroom competitor and full time dance stylist.
I’ve travelled all around the world enhancing 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 providers to all dancers internationally. From these competing of their first U6 competitors, to a number of Skilled World Champions. I assist dancers appear and feel their greatest.
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