Bun Wigs vs Big Wigs

The great debate. Which would you vote for? Personally I'm going to outline some of the pros and cons of each wig here along with a few pics of the ones I think look best.  
(Click on the photos to be linked to the websites you can buy them from; Celtic Creations is offering free shipping to the USA at the moment!)

The Bun Wig
I remember bun wigs being all the rage when I was about 12 or 13 so a good 6 or 7 years ago, but whilst they're not as much of a craze now it doesn't mean that they shouldn't be popular. Particularly for younger dancers the bun wig keeps hair away from your face, looks very neat and tidy and doesn't swamp your head by being so big it makes your head look tiny, which can be a risk of wearing a full head wig. I know my teacher prefers them to the full head wigs at least on the younger girls. I personally love the Celtic Creations Caitlyn bun wig, which uses the pattern of the Caitlyn wig (also one of my fave full head wigs, coincidentally) to create a softer, more natural looking bun wig that looks great on an older dancer.

Photo from Celtic Creations

Equally the Lucy bun wig from Camelia Rose gives an interesting new look, creating an almost beehive style which mimics the trend for using "bumpits" to create miniature beehives in everyday wear. I think it's worth a look if you're looking for something new...

Photo from Camelia Rose

However, if you're looking for a more traditional bun wig, you can't fault the Camelia Rose Ciara wig, which has the tight ringlets which are tried and tested, having been worn by hundreds of dancers including myself for years.

Photo from Camelia Rose

The Big Wig
Well the big wig is arguably the most popular at the moment; the bigger the better. I know a lot of girls believe that a large wig is necessary for stage presence when in championships, not entirely sure they've got it right though as the larger the wig is the more it's going to weigh you down and the more it's going to drag you back. If you feel strong enough to carry around the weight of a large wig on stage whilst still looking as effortless as you want, then by all means go ahead, but I would recommend a medium-length as opposed to a long-length fuller wig in general. When worn with the right accessories a big wig can look very flattering on dancers of any age, and different wigs suit different age ranges. For example, I personally am not a fan of the smaller, tighter "frankfurter curls" as we sometimes call them here because I believe they look too artificial and rag-dolly, but I know they suit a young girl better than an older one and are an ideal choice for an open dancer between the ages of 10 and 13 when they have smaller faces. An example of this kind of wig is the Celtic Creations Alana wig below.

Photo from Celtic Creations

However, for older dancers I am more of a fan of wigs such as the Caitlyn by Celtic Creations which is a fuller, split-curl wig which gives soft lush curls that look very delicate and pretty. It can be quite ''big''  though so I would recommend trying it on first if you have a small or narrow face.

Photo from Celtic Creations

If you're looking for a more ultimately natural look, however, but do not have the sort of hair that will hold a curl, I would recommend Camelia Rose's new Sinead wig. This wig has large soft looking curls that look like the sort you would achieve with magik wands or bendy rollers so it's going back to basics without the pain of sleeping in rollers all night the night before a feis. Unfortunately it's only available in blonde at the moment, but I think it's definitely one to watch especially for older and more mature dancers who are past the age for huge wigs and tons of glitter.

Photo from Camelia Rose

So, which would you choose? Post comments below on your favoured type of wig and we'll see if we can figure out once and for all the Ultimate Wig.

The Feis Report

So, Saturday I attended my first feis in roughly 3 years after retiring from competition (and eventually dance class) in order to concentrate on those dreaded GCSEs/A Levels. I wasn't competing on this occasion, lack of a dress and the interference of my uni exams put paid to that idea, but I did go to support the younger girls of my school and act as their big sister for the day. So I travelled just a little way from home to the An Comdhail Surrey Open Championships, not quite knowing what to expect on the day; I'd never gone purely as a helper before. All I can say is that I had a blast! I loved being back in that competition atmosphere; the music, the bustle, the occasionally funny things that other dancers did on stage (take, for example, one particularly cute 6 year old who stopped in the middle of her dance having forgotten her step and started slapping her head saying "URRGH. What is it?") and the great feeling of camaraderie you get within your school. I truly believe that feis, which I am told means something equivalent to "gathering" in English, really does encourage that spirit of togetherness and community within schools as everyone supports one another and cheers each other on. I am happy to say that another reason for it being such a great day was that our girls came first and second in the championship! So I shall say a big congratulations to Tabitha and Scarlett here.

However, feiseanna can be daunting. There's the pressure of getting the steps right, not tripping, not letting anything fall off your costume, not bumping into anyone and the battle to place the best that you can. It's not surprising that it can often be difficult to deal with nerves and to warm up effectively whilst not overstraining yourself, as IDMer Dancing Gal pointed out to me. Unfortunately, there's no set rule for how to deal with stage fright. My best suggestions to calm yourself down are to take a deep breath, try to focus and if you're feeling up to it try to chat with the girls around you; if they're friendly and you get a nice little (quiet) conversation going you'll soon forget you had nerves at all! You could also try a herbal remedy called Rescue Remedy, which helps calm nerves and give an overall sense of tranquillity, made from completely natural plant extracts. It's not harmful, trusted by many and it could really help you to focus before you go on stage, just give it 30 minutes or so to work beforehand.

The next issue is that of warm ups. Obviously you don't want to put too much strain on yourself; you want to be fresh for your competition and full of energy. I would usually start off with a few stretches before putting my costume on so that my muscles are nice and stretched out, then do a few jumps etc. before putting on a pair of legwarmers. Once I'm ready and my dance is going to be called soon I'd get someone to watch out for when they call the competition, then step outside (or if there's a practice area go there) and run the steps of that dance slowly. So as not to overtire myself I try to be as precise as possible but perhaps not jump quite as high, running one step then taking a break, a sip of water and maybe a bite of an energy bar before running the next one. This keeps the warm up calm, ensures you don't overwork yourself but also makes certain that you'll be ready to give your all once out there on stage. A technique which I hope to use myself at my first feis I'll actually be competing in next month! Wish me luck,  Rince-followers...

If you're gonna jig, make it quick...

I know, I haven't posted in a few days and for that I am sorry. I blame flat-hunting in London; I honestly swear that trying to learn toe-walks and double-jumps for the first time couldn't possibly be as time-consuming, or indeed as painful. So, as my apology, here's a review on dance music.

Music can be an issue when practicing; you need something the right speed, with the correct dance music, and most of all you need something that not only sounds like the traditional music you'll hear at feis but also upbeat and up-to-date enough for you to feel really pumped. I've tried quite a few cds now, and I believe that if you want something that sounds quite upbeat, modern and fun you could definitely do worse than the works of Ryan Lacey and Ellery Klein.


Ryan and Ellery's music hits the right note between traditional and modern with complex and modern-sounding tunes being played on traditional Irish instruments, and with 2 albums to choose from you're spoilt for choice. Their first album, Step Into the Beat, has quite up-tempo, pretty-sounding music that makes dancing really enjoyable with simple and easy levels on the discs for the different speeds of dance, as well as a couple of set dances thrown into the mix as well. With the main basis being the violin (or fiddle) with drumbeats to keep rhythm it's enjoyable to listen to as well as dance too, and really helpful when you're trying to fit your steps to the music and keep time.

However, I think my favourite of the two is their second album, Kick Into the Beat. As the title suggests, this music really packs a punch with fast tempos, complicated music with a mix of instruments including the guitar and real feel of energy. If you're looking for some music that really seems to try and inject some energy into your dancing whether you like it or not, this is the sort you should buy. I especially love the "Meek Maid's Reels" which contrary to the name has nothing "meek" about it.

Listen to their music on iTunes or amazon.com and try it for yourself. Happy dancing!