Home
General
Feis
      Feis Tips
      Walk-Through
      Feis List
      Curling Hair
      Feis Diaries
      Feis Etiquette
      Feis Traumas
Practice
Fun

As an experienced dancer knows, practically every female dancer curls her hair for a feis. However, if you're just starting out or if you've never curled your hair for a feis before, you may not know how this is done.
Many people think that it's all right to just whip out a curling iron the morning of the feis and perfect ringlets will magically appear. This is not so! To curl the hair for a feis is a painfully time-consuming event. However, this method For both methods, you will need:

Curlers I recommend using Soft Spike curlers. For those with lots of hair, like myself, purchase at least ninety curlers. I have used up to a hundred for a feis. See the bottom of this page for a link to their homepage.
Gel When purchasing gel, don't look for an "extra-shiny" kind. You need HOLD and quantity! I bought a big tub of it, and I think it works better than the spray-on variety.
Hairspray Same as above. Look for a "freeze" spray.
Endpapers Available from a hairstylist or a beauty shop. These are optional, but they can make the curling go faster--a GOOD thing!
A hairnet Get the triangle kind that ties in front.
A long-handled comb
Bobby pins
A headband and scrunchie to match your dress (optional, but nice)
A scarf (the fancy kind that women use for decoration, not the cold winter kind) , to disguise the general aura of a walking pincushion.

Done shopping? Good! Now you're ready to start. These instructions are given from the point of view of someone else curling your hair. I don't recommend curling your own hair unless you're REALLY good! My friend did this, and it turned out pretty well, but I think it works better if you have a friend, parent, grandparent, goldfish, etc. do it for you.

The night before the day before the feis
Wash your hair. Do not use conditioner unless your hair is really tangly. I read a tip somewhere that suggests not washing your hair, but with all the gunk you're going to put on your hair, do you really need an extra layer? Also, this may result in decreased hair volume, which makes the curler put more hair on the individual curlers, which in turn results in less curls. On the other hand, it does make the hair more manageable. Either way is fine.

Another option is to start the whole curling process a day earlier. I personally now curl two days before a feis, in order to maximize the drying time. Because of school or other constraints, though, it may be better just to curl the morning before the feis. If you just can't stomach the idea of having all that gunk in your hair for two whole days, don't curl this early.

The morning before the feis
It is imperative that you start curling as soon as possible. The sooner you start, the drier your curls get. The drier your curls are, the less likely it is that your curls turn out limp and straggly. To the curlee: Do not do anything to annoy your curler. Don't forget, this kind person has volunteered up to two hours of his or her time to help you. Also, this person could inflict great pain on your scalp. Trust me, I know this first hand. Simply sit on your chair quietly, and don't hesitate to inform the curler as to how wonderful he or she is. Be sure to have something to do, like a book or something. Also, plan a break or two during the curling session. This will give both the curlee and the curler a chance to loosen up stiff muscles, grab a soda, etc.

Instructions to the Curler (the person curling the hair, not the actual curler, silly)
Using the handle of your comb, make a part across the curlee's head from ear to ear. Using the ponytail holder, gather about 1/3 of the total hair into a ponytail on top of the head. Secure with the ponytail holder. If you want a curly bun, don't gather it into a ponytail and then curl it--curl the entire head, as is. Trust me. More on this later.

Using the handle of the comb, take a small section of hair from the front of the ponytail. This should be no bigger than your first finger. Dip the comb in gel, scrape of the excess, then comb it through the hair. Make sure that the whole section is wet with gel, then wipe off the excess. There shouldn't be any globs of gel on the hair. Wrap a endpaper around the bottom. Proceed to wrap the hair around the curler. If you are using the Soft Spike curlers, poke the end of the curler through the hole. If not, just lock the curler.

Continue throughout the ponytail. When you reach the end of the ponytail, start on the rest of the hair. Begin above the right ear and make a row across to the left. Hint: It makes for easier sleeping if all the curlers point in one direction.Repeat until all the hair is curled.

After the curling is over--about two hours later for me--resist the temptation to spray the hair thoroughly. At this point, you want less goop on your hair so that it will dry thoroughly. If you want, cover the curlers with a hairnet (to keep them in place a bit more) or scarf( to try to disguise the spikiness). Have a glass of cold water and pat yourself on the back.

The morning of the feis
If you're anything like me, you may have a stiff neck from sleeping on all those curlers. That's okay, though; you don't dance with your neck. Or at least I don't. If necessary and if you have enough time, use a blowdryer for a few minutes, concentrating on the curls deeper inside the ponytail. Do not take your curlers out until you reach the feis! If you're really late, you could start to take them out in the car, but the earlier you take them out, the sooner they'll droop.

To remove the curlers, start at the bottom and work your way up. Take just one out to see if it's dry. If it isn't, put the curler back in and wait awhile. This is why it is important to get to a feis early--to allow for things like this. If the curl is tight and dry, thank goodness! Having thanked goodness, pull the curlers straight down. If you unroll it, the curl won't be as tight. Be sure to check for stray endpapers. If you choose, separate the curls using the handle of your comb. This makes it a whole lot fluffier and helps to eliminate that Irish octopus look. It also seems to last longer.

If you are waiting for any amount of time greater than a half-hour, put the hairnet back in. Spray your hair, but don't overdo it--too much hairspray can weigh down curls. Also, be careful not to get hairspray on the dress.

For a curly bun: You should have curled the entire head. Now pull out the curlers. Take a moment to notice how silly the curlee looks like that. Then, using a brush, gather the hair into a high ponytail, brushing and smoothing the scalp as you go. Next, pin the curls to the hair on the scalp. Make sure it's very secure--have the curlee give a few test hops every now and then. Add scrunchie and crown.

Final Thoughts

There really is no reason that you couldn't just braid your hair or pull it back neatly. I did this for my first feis. Once you get to the feis, however, it will seem that EVERYONE has perfectly curled ringlets.

A few last words of advice: Be sure to test the technique at least once before the feis. This will allow you to develop a better technique. At the end of the day, remove the scrunchie carefully, but cut the ponytail holder off. Also, if your curls turn out a tangled mess on the morning of the feis, remember that the judge is looking mostly at your feet, not your head. He or she will award higher points to a poorly curled dancer who keeps her chin up and her feet pointed and crossed than to an impeccably curled dancer who isn't on her toes.

If these instructions seem at all intimidating, it is only because I want you to know what you're getting into. Trust me; it's worth it to have the confidence of knowing that you have GREAT curls. Oh, and be sure to thank your curler.