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 Novice Ballroom competitor and full time dance stylist.
I’ve travelled all around the world bettering each my dance expertise and hair and make-up expertise. 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 finest.
You’re an achieved dancer your self. May you inform us extra about that journey
I started dancing at an area medallist college at 4 years previous.
I handed by means of 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 observe the UK Open every year, as it’s simply down the street from us. Right here I used to be capable of see one of the best 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 received 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 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 just a few years, and a few companion modifications I hit the height of my dancing profession. Within the area of two years with my companion Dan, we turned finalists in a number of prime Worldwide competitions, Blackpool Rising star finalists, Blackpool beginner 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 lecturers would typically assist me with my very own hair and it saved me and my mum many arguments! At round 13 years previous, I started working towards to do my very own hair and make-up for competitions.
My trainer would all the time let me know if I had carried out a superb job, so from there I used to be capable of hone my expertise.
One British Nationals, my trainer 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 capable of assist so off I used to be despatched to those girls lodges to do their hair. Fortunately, they cherished it! They requested if I might be working on the subsequent competitors. The remaining is historical past as they are saying!
Why is hair and wonder so necessary 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 carried out, whether or not that’s professionally or if you happen to do it your self might help you achieve the boldness you might want to step onto that ground.
It may well provide help to create a personality, you’ll be able to 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 decide really feel assured that you already know what you’re doing, which can, lead to getting one spherical additional. Finally although, I imagine 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 individual hair!
So we’re simply going into competitors season – what does that typically contain for you? What does a typical competitors day seem like for you?
Usually this implies, little or no sleep, a lot of hairspray and loads of admin. As soon as bookings are open, it is going to 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 mean weekend of labor will seem like this:
Day 1: unpacking and organising, 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’ll be able to think about, packing a 40-60 hour work week right into a weekend might be actually taxing on the physique, so when I’m competing and coaching on the identical time, I will probably be very selective on when and what competitions I can work at. Nevertheless when I’m not competing I can typically be discovered working each weekend.
What kinds of dance do you help? What hairstyles are trending proper now?
In the meanwhile I specialize in Ballroom and Latin hair and make-up. Though I’m certified in each hair and make-up, presently I’m solely offering hairstyling appointments (I don’t have sufficient arms for each!)
So far as trending dance hairstyles, I’m very comfortable to see that ‘stunning’ kinds are again in trend and we have now moved away from very extreme kinds.
In ballroom, most ladies go for gentle, 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 among the most well-known dancers you’ve labored with?
I’m very fortunate to have labored with among the finest dancers on the earth.
Within the beginner division I’ve carried out hairstyles for:
beginner 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 just a few!
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’ve labored with?
Truthfully, 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. Probably 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’ve 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?
You must 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 method to study.
Follow within the evenings, practise in your days off and by no means attempt one thing new on the day of the competitors.
If you need to have the ability to do your individual hair it is going to solely take apply. In case your mum, sister, dad, whoever, supply to assist or they’re those doing all of your hair, be sort! I promise you, they’re making an attempt their finest, 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 educating you the way to do your individual hair your self and the way I do mine! On the positioning you can even see which competitions I will probably be attending subsequent – perhaps I’ll see you there!
- Concerning the Writer
- Newest Posts
An Novice Ballroom competitor and full time dance stylist.
I’ve travelled all around the world bettering each my dance expertise and hair and make-up expertise. 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 finest.
