Interview With Steph Midday, Skilled Dancer & Hair Stylist

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 providers to all dancers the world over. From these competing of their first U6 competitors, to a number of Skilled World Champions. I assist dancers appear and feel their finest.

You’re an achieved 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I started dancing at an area medallist college at 4 years outdated.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 the medallist system, finishing all of my exams and usually competed on the ISTD competitions.

Throughout my juvenile profession, my mum started taking me to observe the UK Open annually, as it’s simply down the street from us. Right here I used to be capable of see the perfect dancers on this planet!

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 bought 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 remaining, and each youth finals.

By 18 I had change into 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 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 novice semi finalists and semi finalists on this planet 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 typically 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 carried out a superb job, so from there I used to be capable of hone my expertise.

One British Nationals, my instructor because the time was supposed to assist some girls with their hair, sadly, she wasn’t out there, 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 accommodations to do their hair. Fortunately, they beloved 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 necessary in dance competitions?

As a lot as I imagine that ’the dancing all the time wins’, I additionally imagine that there’s loads that goes into it.
Having your hair and make-up carried out, whether or not that’s professionally or in case you do it your self may help you acquire the arrogance you want to step onto that flooring.

It may allow you to create a personality, you may 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 costume immaculate helps the choose 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 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 individual 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?

Typically this implies, little or no sleep, a number of hairspray and loads of admin. As soon as bookings are open, it’ll 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 a couple of 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 dwelling, spend someday recovering and repeat the method!

As you may think about, packing a 40-60 hour work week right into a weekend will be actually taxing on the physique, so when I’m competing and coaching on the identical time, I shall be very selective on when and what competitions I can work at. Nonetheless when I’m not competing I can typically be discovered working each weekend.

What kinds of dance do you assist? What hairstyles are trending proper now?

In the intervening time I concentrate on 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 palms for each!)

So far as trending dance hairstyles, I’m very glad to see that ‘lovely’ kinds are again in vogue and we now have moved away from very extreme kinds.

In ballroom, most ladies go for comfortable, 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 number of the most well-known dancers you could have labored with?

I’m very fortunate to have labored with a number of the finest dancers on this planet.

Within the novice division I’ve carried out 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 remaining look throughout their retirement announcement.

What are probably the most novel or difficult requests you could have labored with?

Truthfully, I can safely say there’s 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 choose me to be their stylist for his or her retirement competitors. That is once I actually really feel the stress!

Do you could 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 a must to love the WHOLE strategy of competitions, so in case you don’t but, then it’s time to get working towards. It’s how I began and it the quickest and best method to be taught.

Observe 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’ll solely take apply. In case your mum, sister, dad, whoever, provide to assist or they’re those doing all of your hair, be type! I promise you, they’re making an attempt their finest, and in case you’re not pleased with how they do it… then it’s time to be taught.

I’ve on-line tutorials out there on my web site www.styledbysteph.co.uk  instructing you how one can do your individual hair your self and the way I do mine! On the positioning you can even see which competitions I shall be attending subsequent – perhaps I’ll see you there!

• In regards to the Creator
• 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 providers to all dancers the world over. From these competing of their first U6 competitors, to a number of Skilled World Champions. I assist dancers appear and feel their finest.