A Matter of Dance

Hey there guys,
So I have quite an interesting post in the making but in the meantime I thought I'd write about something a little closer to home. So here's to hoping some of you can be inspired by this post.

Recently I've been watching an Australian teen drama called Dance Academy, I'm sure if you're a ballet or contemporary dancer you'll have heard of it. It has got me thinking about a lot of things and has finally motivated me to put in a good three hours of practice at least everyday. The thing that glares out at me from the series and also from all films or series based in a ballet school is the competition and associated with that the feeling of not being good enough.

I think as dancers we are all fighting this feeling of just not being the best, it's something that I think we have to fight every day. It's part of being a dancer. I often find myself going to dance performances and being in total awe and admiration of the performer but at the same time there's this black cloud pushing its way in to say "there's no way you'll ever be as good as that." and it's not just at performances but in class too. The thing is I don't believe we actually have anything against our peers other than selfish human jealousy.

I've found my own way of dealing with this, the world of dance and in all honesty I'm still working on perfecting it. Whenever I feel like I'm not good enough and am never going to be, whenever I feel like there is no point and I should just give up, I ask myself "why do you dance?" and therein lies my salvation. I don't dance to be the best, I don't dance for anyone else, I don't even dance because it's necessarily something I have a rare talent for (it's not trust me! If there's one thing Indian classical dance teaches you it's to be humble!) I dance for two reasons. Firstly, quite simply because I love it and my life would be incomplete if I didn't dance. Secondly, I dance for God, as a form of worship. As a Sikh I have always found it unbelievably difficult to find stories about Lord Vishnu or Lord Ganesh spiritual but I am starting to realise that it is my belief as a Sikh that there is only one God and therefore I dance for that one God.

Yes, the arimandi is painful and yes, the tatkar does make me want to collapse in a heap but I see dance as a way of bettering myself. As my Kathak Guru always says "no pain no gain".

So I shall leave you to ponder and with a little something I wrote about Shiva Nataraja, Lord of dance.

The Nataraja is not simply a God but represents something of our innermost being, our own spiritual connection to ourselves.

Student Voices (attitudes to learning Bharatanatyam in England)

Hello! Namaste! Nomoshkar! and every other greeting!
I know it's been way too long since I posted and I apologise profusely for that but I'm back!

Today I bring you a post that has been long in the making. It is a little glimpse into the world of learning Bharatanatyam in England and so I introduce you to four girls; Kaushika, Parvatee, Hamsini and Meghana. Find yourself a comfortable seat, a cup of chai and listen to their stories in this wonderful conversation I had with them...

Moi: Tell me a little about yourselves

Kaushika: My name is Kaushika and I'm 14 years of age. I was born into a full and full Tamil family from Chennai but I've been living in England for most of my life and for all of my dancing life! I've been dancing since I was around 6 and it has always been something I've loved doing. I've had many hobbies which I've let go of, mainly because I've lost interest but Bharatanatyam has kept me going!
Parvatee:  I am Parvatee, and I am 18 years old. I am a Hindu and my parents come from an island called Mauritius which is located in the Indian Ocean, to the East of Madagascar. I actually started learning Bharatnatyam at the age of 12 in my home town, we touched slightly on the theory but focused mainly on the dance. Unfortunately my dance teacher left for Australia. I came across a dance school in Reading which taught both the theoretical and practical aspects of Bharatanatyam. I started in November 2010. I didn't actually do any performances until September of 2011 as I didn’t have my Bharatanatyam outfit!
Hamsini: I am 16 years old and I first started Bharatanatyam when I was 8. I am not an expert at it though as I had to constantly start from the beginning quite often.
Meghana: Hello my name is Meghana and I am 14 years old. I was born in America and raised in India. I began learning Bharatanatyam when I was around 7 in India. When we moved to England I started to learn Bharatnatyam again. I only started studying for the grades about two years ago.

Moi: Why did you start studying Bharatanatyam?

Kaushika: To be honest I started Bharatanatyam because my parents did not want me to lose out on Indian culture (also why I do Carnatic singing).
Parvatee: I didn't know there were such classical dances at such a young age. My Mum knew about them and she asked me if I would like to learn Bharatanatyam as she had always wanted to learn it herself but never had the chance. My Mum and I researched Bharatanatyam and we finally found someone who had connections with the Indian society and she introduced us to the dance teacher. Later on we found out about Kalakunj through one of my old dance friends. Once I found out about Bharatanatyam and what it was, I was 100% enthusiastic about learning it, as it is a dance performed religiously and towards the Gods (I am quite religious). That did however mean giving up the sports I did because the days clashed and I was very sporty.
Hamsini: When I was around 8 I went to the temple to watch a Bharatanatyam performance with my Grandma. The dance was absolutely amazing and from that moment on I knew I wanted to keep dancing and hopefully become a dancer someday.
Meghana: I started Bharatanatyam because I really enjoyed watching others perform it. It was also very good practice for role playing which I really like doing.

Moi: What does Bharatanatyam mean to you?

Kaushika: Obviously when I started Bharatanatyam I was very young and I did not know how it started and the stories behind the art form however, as I grew older, I began to research into the history of Bharatanatyam and I realised how meaningful and how much beauty it holds.
Parvatee: Bharatnatyam means the world to me! It is one of the many things that I do that holds such importance in my life. Now that’s a bit cheesy but it’s true! I have learnt a lot of things and met new friends through Bharatanatyam. It’s an art which requires both dance and drama as well as some singing, though I'm not so keen on the singing bit.
Hamsini: My absolute love for dancing means that Bhartanatyam is a huge deal for me. It's my favourite hobby and would also look really good on my future university application.
Meghana: Bharatanatyam has played a significant role in my life as it has showed me that I can go on stage and not be afraid or shy. It has also showed me that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. Moreover, it also reminds me of India and the days when I lived there.

Moi: Do you think being a non-resident Indian makes you view/experience Bharatanatyam differently?

Kaushika: Because we are in England I think there is a definite difference in our way of dance! However, because of the way we have been taught, the dance still keeps its originality because many of the dances have been choreographed by our Guru.
Parvatee: Nope, I view and perform Bharatanatyam in probably the same way as Indians do. I guess it’s hard to explain but I think being in a certain country does weaken or strengthen your views. I guess it’s how you take it as a dancer and a student.
Hamsini: I find that being a non-resident Indian actually makes you follow and respect the culture and dance more than Indians living in India do. This is because we view it as a chance to get closer to our roots while Indians in India actually try to follow Western habits and try to drift away from the Indian culture.
Meghana: I don't think the fact that you don't live in India necessarily has an effect because as long as you believe in the religion you will still carry the same emotion as someone living in India.

Moi: I have a theory that non-Hindus lose a slight connection with the dance form, would you agree with this? Why?

Kaushika: I think that if you are truly in love with dance then your passion for it will overrule the fact that Bharatanatyam is about Hindu mythology. I believe that even if you aren't Hindu but are extremely passionate, it will connect you immediately to the dance and will overwhelm you without needing any spiritual attachment.
Parvatee: Actually I am undecided. It can go both ways. Non- Hindus may lose a slight connection as they won’t understand (yet) the Gods and the scriptures of Hinduism. This can be a setback, nevertheless they could always read up about and learn to understand Hinduism. Learn a bit more so that they can make up for the lost knowledge so to speak. If they know the stories and the morals they might learn and perform with a stronger connection. It depends on the person. I also think a Non-Hindu could be one of the best Bharatanatyam dancers, however the Hindu performers would be slightly ahead of the game as they would have more knowledge thus more connection.
Hamsini: I do. As non-Hindus in general (there are exceptions of course) don't understand our language or religion as well and so don't understand our faith in the gods we worship when dancing like we do.
Meghana: Yes, I would agree with this because they would not feel the story behind each dance as much as someone who believes in the story.

Moi: Is Bharatanatyam spiritual for you?

Kaushika: For me, I value the dance form for its spiritual qualities and I do believe it is a way to connect to the Gods. Particularly as many dances are to do with Shiva and the Thandavam, I do believe that Bharatanatyam is a spiritually powerful dance.
Parvatee: I guess so. All Bharatanatyam dances are in reference to the Gods; all the pieces I have learnt refer to the Gods at some stage. I guess this dance form is a greeting to the Gods and by performing the dance it feels like I am performing to the Gods, so I guess it is spiritual for me.
Hamsini: I feel as if I am dancing in front of God when I'm on stage, so yes it is. Some also say it is supposed to be spiritual as it is a form of meditation.
Meghana: Bharatanatyam is kind of spiritual because each dance depicts a different Hindu myth and the dancers goal is to convey this story to the audience. This is spiritual because the dancer has to play the characters (Gods and Goddesses) and to do this you need to understand the spiritual side of things.

Moi: Kaushika I know you’re Tamil, but do the rest of you feel that not being Tamil changes the way you experience Bharatanatyam?

Parvatee: No because Bharatanatyam is a dance towards the Hindu Gods and I think that Hindus (more than non-Hindus as they -it's complicated- probably do not feel as strong performing the dance in respect to the Gods) from all over the world who are strong believers will not have any change in experience. There might be people who are Tamil but who are not religious as opposed to people who are not Tamil and religious. I think it depends on whether you are a strong believer of Hinduism (though not always) that changes the way a person experiences Bharatanatyam. However Non-Hindus can also perform to the highest standards if they put their heart and soul into it!
Hamsini: I think being Tamil has nothing to do with Bharatanatyam except that the dance form originated in Chennai. So I don't think it changes the experience of dancing if you're not Tamil.
Meghana: No, I don't think not being Tamil changes anything.

Moi: Do you have any aspirations to take Bharatanatyam on as a full or part-time career?

Kaushika: As well as loving dance, I think that I could consider it a part-time job in the future if I still have a love for Bharatanatyam then, which I hope to have.
Parvatee: Well I do hope that I can carry it on as a part- time career. I would love to teach this art form and introduce it to others who do not have a special hobby.
Hamsini: No I don't think I could, however I would love to!
Meghana: I don't think I will take Bharatanatyam on as a job but I would like to continue it as a hobby.

Moi: Would you like to one day do an Arangetram?

Kaushika: Yes, I would like to do an Arangetram in the future because I'd like to see it as a way of me completing my student-hood as a Bharatanatyam dancer. I'd also like to think of it as a way of introducing myself as a dancer to the dance community (however big or small it is, depending on where you I live.)
Parvatee: I would love to! That would be pretty awesome, being introduced to the public as a Bharatanatyam dancer and a student of Kalakunj.
Hamsini: No
Meghana: I don't have a set goal to do a Arangetram.

Moi: How do you see the future of Bharatanatyam here in the UK? 

Kaushika: I see the future for Bharatanatyam in England as a bright one with more and more people from different backgrounds and cultures starting to take on the art form. I'm sure that if this popularity continues to grow Bharatanatyam can be appreciated for its true beauty and can be given full credit as an ancient dance style which I think it deserves.
Parvatee: Well Bharatanatyam is the most practised Indian Classical dance worldwide, and in the UK there are more and more children and adults who want to learn Bharatanatyam, (and of course who want to have such an amazing outfit to wear!) So I think in the near future Bharatanatyam will be highly popular in the UK.
Hamsini: It might become more popular with the British but it might also grow more popular with the Indian population in the UK.
Meghana: I think Bharatanatyam will definitely grow and more people will become interested in this form.of dance.

I would like to thank Kaushika, Parvatee, Hamsini and Meghana for this wonderful insight into their lives as Bharatanatyam students. I am constantly amazed at how far Indian classical dance travels. Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi and Odissi are all widely taught in England. Did you know that there is a large community of Kuchipudi dancers in Russia and Ukraine? Or that Kathak has reached as far as France and China? Indian classical dance in all its forms has no boundaries, a testament to its beauty and universal ability to bring joy.

[Kaushika, Parvatee, Hamsini, Meghana and I are all disciples of Ananya Chatterjee who runs Kalakunj. She is herself a disciple of Smt. Thankamani Kutty of Kalamandalam Kolkata.]

The Guide to Dance Hair for Non-Black Hair - Part III

Here's part III of my Guide to Dance Hair for Non-Black Hair =D Don't forget to check out Part II !

This is a style originally intended for Kathak. To my knowledge it's not very often used for Kathak and I've only occasionally seen it used by dancers from Jaipur Gharana. It is quite simple in reality; it involves a bun and a plait and that's it!

I began by simply dividing the hair in two and tying the first half into a ponytail, creating a half-pony. 

I then used a doughnut to make this into a bun (check out my Le Beignet. post on how to use a hair doughnut)...

...and secured it with a hairnet.

You can see that the bun isn't too high up on the head, this is because I did it with Kathak in mind rather than Bharatanatyam.

I've added a mix of ornaments here to substitute not having any that were meant for dance. Here I've used plastic flowers, a brooch and an earring.  

This is the final product, but where did the long red thing come from I hear you ask... sorry! I forgot to take pictures of that stage! All I did was plait a paranda in to the second half of the hair and then wrapped the flowers around the plait. There are some links on how to tie a paranda on my That long thing with tassels post.

As you can see the lower bun creates a look more suited for Kathak, naturally the fringe would normally need to be pinned or gelled back.

Many Kathak dancers who use this style pin the plait to their dresses so it hangs at the front. 

This same style can very easily be used for Bharatanatyam if you tie the bun higher and add a few more flowers. 

The Guide to Dance Hair for Non-Black Hair - Part II

Welcome to Part II of dance hair for non-black hair! Don't forget to check out Part I!

This is a very simple style using a paranda, to learn how to put in a paranda check out my That long thing with tassels. post. The paranda is used by a lot of schools of Kathak, especially in Pakistan. The paranda can be used with a fake hair extension but it generally acts as a hair extension in itself. It can be tied to the back of the dress but I have seen it left loose during performances too. Flowers can be added as per preference, generally speaking flowers are kept to a minimum for Kathak, usually just a few elegant strings of jasmine flowers. On hair that isn't black the traditional hair extensions plaited in for dance aren't a possibility and here's why...

It doesn't look natural does it? The paranda however is not made of hair, it's made of thread and so it isn't supposed to look natural, it's supposed to be seen as a hair accessory and so can be used in any colour hair. 

I have found that a French plait keeps the hair much neater and more compact when dancing. My Kathak Guru has always told my classmates to do a French plait and it does work better. The hair I was working with here was extremely shiny and slippery and so doing a tight French plait was almost impossible, it would work much better if the hair was wet (wet not damp). In the photo above I tied it where I added the paranda so you can see. You can add the paranda right at the beginning of the French plait but it is a lot harder. Again please check out my blog from June "That long thing with tassels." for all the YouTube links to tying a paranda. If you don't know how to do a French plait (which as a Kathak dancer you really ought to...) here's a link, How to: Basic French Braid

This is the finished product, without flowers. For dance the fringe would obviously need to be pinned back. I have shown it here over the shoulder because many Kathak dancers pin it over the shoulder so that it can be seen from the front. I have used a gold coloured paranda here which are actually quite hard to find, generally they are black, but as you can see most of the paranda is covered by the hair. It would still look fine if it was black because you can see quite clearly that it is a hair accessory. One thing that is perhaps open for discussion is how to tie the end of the paranda. There are two options as far as I know; the first is a hair band as I have used here but this is problematic because it takes time to get all the tassels through it each time whilst being careful not to damage them and they will inevitably get damaged but it is an easy and quick method. The other option is getting some black embroidery thread and winding it round and round the end of the paranda plait and then knotting, this is fiddly and the black thread is not always re-usable if you make the knot too tight. So it's problematic in general but nothing beautiful is ever without problems right?

This is what it would look like with flowers. Ideally these would be longer strings of flowers and would be fresh jasmine blossoms, but alas we're not in India so I shall have to settle with these plastic flowers. Some schools of Kathak put the flowers higher up on the head but I think it looks too much like Bharatanatyam when done like that, putting them lower down makes it look more graceful and subtle in my opinion. Of course as with all hair posts I write, none of these girls are actually dancers and so I haven't used as many pins as perhaps necessary for dance or made the front as neat and secure as would be needed, this is just to inspire :)

Stay tuned for part III

The Guide to Dance Hair for Non-Black Hair - Part I

Hello all!
Welcome to my guide to dance hair for non-black hair because let's face it, most accessories available for dance hair are designed for black, Indian hair. So this is a guide to give all of you dancers out there with hair that isn't black some ideas and inspiration...

This is the hair I was working with, lovely isn't it?

So this first style is common to both Bharatanatyam and Kathak, the basic idea is also the base of Odissi dance hair. It's a bun using a doughnut, do check out my Le Beignet. post about using a hair doughnut. If you add more flowers and a rakodi this is a Bharatanatyam look, and if you add fewer flowers and leave out the rakodi you have an elegant Kathak style. 

I started with a ponytail, simple enough. Just remember that the height of the ponytail is how high the bun will be. If you have a fringe, this would be the time to pin, clip or gel it out of the way. 

Then I pulled the ponytail through the doughnut, wrapped the hair around the doughnut to cover it and then put a hair band around the newly-formed bun. 

I then wrapped the remaining hair around the bun, and secured with a crazy amount of bun pins. I put a hair net around this but it isn't strictly necessary.

This is the final product, it is a bit wonky I know. As I said before, if you use fewer flowers and leave out the rakodi then this style works fine for Kathak. In the photos above it's more suited to Bharatanatyam. The fringe can of course be far more efficiently dealt with. 

Stay tuned for part II !

Kathak Inspirations: Fasih Ur Rehman

Bonsoir!!

Welcome to the first instalment of "Kathak Inspirations"

Introducing...

Photo credit: Unknown, sorry!

FASIH UR REHMAN

Fasih Ur Rehman is a disciple of Maharaj Ghulam Hussain Kathak, often considered the father of Kathak in Pakistan. Maharaj Ghulam Hussain was himself a disciple of Achan Maharaj, the father of Pt. Birju Maharaj (although as a Kathak dancer, you really should have known that...) Fasih Ur Rehman is therefore trained in what is often called the Lahore-Lucknow Gharana. He began his training in 1977 and went on later in life to study under Smt. Kumudini Lakhia, herself a legend in the Kathak world. Interestingly in a country that is often dubbed as very conservative, he was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, the fourth-highest civilian decoration in Pakistan by the President and Government of Pakistan in 2006 for his services to Kathak.

Here are some YouTube links to a documentary on Fasih Ur Rehman. The documentary is in Urdu but with English subtitles. There are some beautiful clips and I believe it is filmed in Pakistan.

KATHAK Fasih Ur Rehman Part 1

KATHAK Fasih Ur Rehman Part 2

KATHAK Fasih Ur Rehman Part 3

When it comes to Kathak dancers I must say that my inspirations are very biased; they are nearly all from the Lucknow gharana. Fasih Ur Rehman is an absolutely wonderful dancer. There is so much emotion in his dance, you're physically moved by his performances. He is often praised for being able to switch between masculine and feminine roles perfectly on stage. I have also always admired his simple but beautiful costumes. It makes one notice the dance more because there are no over the top costumes to distract ones' attention.

Here are the links to a performance of his in London, the filming is wonderful and also has some shots of the stage rehearsal.

Fasih Ur Rehman's Performance at Watermans Art Centre, London Pt1

Fasih Ur Rehman's Performance at Watermans Art Centre, London Pt2

Fasih Ur Rehman's Performance at Watermans Art Centre, London Pt3

Fasih Ur Rehman's Performance at Watermans Art Centre, London Pt4

Fasih Ur Rehman's Performance at Watermans Art Centre, London Pt5

Equally Fasih Ur Rehman's technique can't be faulted. His posture, grace and footwork are pristine. It is wonderfully inspiring to see such a well-rounded Kathak dancer. His dance really is breathtaking. For me, I also find it inspiring that he is Pakistani. As someone with Pakistani roots it is pretty amazing to see someone overcome all of the cultural and conservative boundaries and succeed. Whilst still representing Pakistan and all that it stands for. Kathak is in fact the national dance of Pakistan.

This is a link to an old performance of his from when he was much younger

Fasih Ur Rehman - Tribute to Maharaj Ghulam Hussain Kathak (1901-2001) Pakistan

And some more great links...

Fasih Ur Rehman Kathak's YouTube Channel

Fasih Ur Rehman running a Kathak workshop in Barcelona Sept. 2012

Fasih Ur Rehman Official Site

Fasih Ur Rehman is currently holding classes in London...

Photo Credit: Unknown/SADA

Starting from Sunday 14th July 

Time: 15:00 to 17:00 

Venue: The Royal Academy of Dance

36 Battersea Square, London, SW11 3RA

Fees: £25 per person per week

Learn subtle and clean postures of Kathak

And unique compositions of Ghulam Maharaj ji -Old and unique Compositions of Achchan Maharaj ji

A minimum of 3 years of training in Kathak is required to be able to do this class and the follow up sessions of regular classes.

Contact: fasih_rm@hotmail.com or shreyanag@hotmail.com

That's all for now! You should all go check out Fasih Ur Rehman! 

Happy Dancing!

Bharatanatyam Inspirations: Apoorva Jayaraman

Hello all!
I'm starting something new for the blog today! I'm going to post some inspiration entries. These are the dancers who inspire me to do what I do, who inspire me to work harder, practice longer and make me fall in love with dance all over again.

Today I bring you "Bharatanatyam Inspirations" =D

Introducing... 

Photo credit: Niranjan Prasad

APOORVA JAYARAMAN

Having trailed the internet there would seem to be little written about Apoorva Jayaraman, this jewel in the crown of Bharatanatyam, perhaps because she is still a rising star. From what I have been able to find out about her dance background, she is a disciple of the one and only Priyadarsini Govind, who incidentally was recently appointed director of Kalakshetra (if you do Bharatanatyam and haven't heard of Kalakshetra then shame on you.) She first performed solo at the age of 8 which in India I imagine is quite a feat, over here in the UK though Indian parents are shoving their kids onto the stage as soon as they can walk. 

Photo Credit: Unknown/Bhavan Centre

There are two aspects of Apoorva Jayaraman's dance that I find so inspiring; first is her technique and posture, it's just perfect and makes her dance flow so beautifully. Secondly is her abhinaya, it is absolutely breathtaking. Not only does she just completely make you feel like you are actually watching a child Krishna or Ganesh on the stage but during pure dance pieces her smile is simply mesmerising. It is so amazing to see a dancer who is so refined and polished, her footwork is always pristine and crisp too. 

Here are a couple of video links...

Thodayamangalam - Apoorva Jayaraman

Jatiswaram - Apoorva Jayaraman

Apoorva Jayaraman's YouTube Channel

I think we all, as dancers, need to find inspiration from somewhere, dancers to look up to, to give us something to aim for, something to work towards. Watching Apoorva Jayaraman makes me want to work harder, to attempt to come somewhere near her perfection. 

“Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are great because of their passion.” 

― Martha Graham

This quote, to me, shows another aspect of Ms. Jayaraman; even if her technique wasn't so unbelievably perfect, her performances would still captivate because she is captivating. There is no question when watching her dance that she is incredibly connected to Bharatanatyam, you can see her passion, love and spiritual connection to it. That, to me, makes her performances all the more breathtaking. 

Apoorva Jayaraman, Bharatanatyam dancer, disciple of Priyadarsini Govind, inspiration to many. 

Dance hair for extremely short hair - Part IV

Welcome to Part IV of "Dance hair for extremely short hair" the final part of this 4-part series. Don't forget to check out Part I, II and III!

This style is one less often seen, some schools of dance use it more than others and it is typically used for Bharatanatyam or Kuchipudi, generally when portraying Goddess Durga or Kali. I still don't have any proper flowers so the way I've done it is a little unconventional using what I have.

Again we start with the trusty tuft, which at this point is starting to look like a chimney sweep...

I then tied the fake hair to the tuft and created a bun with the tuft. The bun can be made by using a small hair doughnut as demonstrated in Part I, or you can simply fold the hair back over the hair band and secure with another hair band and pins. 

I then added flowers around the bun, and some large clips. The clips are needed to have something to build the next lot of flowers onto.

In this photo you can see how I started to wrap the flowers around. Of course this does require lots of pins but if I had the proper flowers it would have been much easier.

Voilà! The finished product! 

Hopefully you enjoyed this hair series, I'm planning a few more with different hair lengths so stay tuned!

Until the next time, 

Happy Dancing!

Dance hair for extremely short hair - Part III

Welcome to Part III of "Dance hair for extremely short hair" Don't forget to check out Part I and II !

This style is typical of Kathak, it's a little over the top because of the fact that it's done with extremely short hair but if short is what you're working with then this is a possibility but to make it secure enough for dance you'd need a lot more pins than I used. The basic idea of this style is extremely simple, it's just a low bun with flowers around it.

I started by tying the cord of the fake hair at the top of the head, this is where an awful lot of pins would be needed, or even perhaps clip-in hair extensions.

I left the fringe out of the cord so that I could fold it back over to cover the cord. Again black clips here would have been better. 

So this is then what you're left to work with. Pins and gel are the only ways to do something with all the short hair. 

I then used a doughnut to create a bun with the fake hair. I used the rolling down method which can be seen here How to do a simple hair doughnut. Then I added a hair net. The hair net was actually smaller than the bun but bun pins solved that issue ;) A hair net isn't essential but I think it looks neater, the first of the pictures above is with the net, the second without. The short hair on the rest of the head can of course be neatened with gel or hair spray. 

Here is the final product with flowers wrapped around the bun. Pretty simple really! 

Part IV coming up!

Dance hair for extremely short hair - Part II

Welcome to part II of "Dance hair for extremely short hair" Don't forget to check out Part I

This next style is again more traditionally seen used for Bharatanartam but if toned down slightly, with a lower bun, it can also be used for Kathak. It essentially comprises of a bun with a long plait beneath.

As you can see I started again with our trusty old tuft. 

I then added the fake hair which again can be seen on my Southall Haul post. I tied it tightly around the tuft.

I then started to plait the fake hair, I attempted to french plait in some of the actual hair but as you can see it really was too short. I tied a scrunchie in the plait above to show where I added the Paranda. 

At this point the Paranda has been plaited in, I measured it so that the Paranda ended where the fake hair ended. I continued to add more pins to sort out fly away tufts of hair, which would have been more easily tamed with gel. You can also see how the cord from the top of the fake hair is tied back down the plait to secure it. 

And so here is the finished product! I added two lots of flowers around the bun, and then a separate length of flowers twisting down the plait. 

This style is of course best done on long hair, and I shall demonstrate it on long hair in another post. 

Part III coming up!