The perfect hair style for your ballet class: a Ballet Bun!

The traditional ballet dancer’s silhouette isn’t complete without that traditional bump over her head; the Ballet Bun!

No, it isn’t a pastry, it is the way the dancers do their hair for class. And I am about to tell you how to make the perfect bun in minutes!

You will need:

• Hairbrush and comb
• Hair band
• Hair net (not “bun net” which is much smaller)
• Bobby pins (the ones in a “U” shape) 8 should be enough

The pony tail:

First, a good bun needs a good ponytail, and the best way to achieve a good ponytail at the correct height (in line with your chin and top of your ear) is to bend forward, gather all your hair and use a comb.

A brush might be enough, but a comb will gather your hair much more neatly!

The bun:

Twist your hair (anti clockwise, you will have to go around the bun anti clockwise, clockwise, you’ll go around clockwise) I did it clockwise in the picture.

Go around (clockwise or anticlockwise) the bun making sure you keep on twisting the hair.

To catch the end of the hair, take some of the “bun” with the pin going away from the centre

Pass over the end of the hair

Turn the pin around towards the centre of the bun and push in.

NB: this is not meant to hold long so be ready with your hair net! (especially if you have short or strong hair)

Placing the net:

Wrap the bun in the hair net.

Make sure you take all the hair and don’t be afraid to go around as many times as needed. It shouldn’t be too tight though.

At this stage it doesn’t have to look good, just wrap!

Putting the pins in:

To put the pins in:

• Take the pin you put in the hold the end out
• Shape the bun if needed, to make it more round
• Pressing the bun slightly, take a bit of the edge of the bun going away from its centre (make sure your pin is flat against the bun)
• Put the end of the pin against the skull.
• Turn it around so its end is towards the centre of the bun
• Push it in
• And you do that same all around the bun to North, South, East, West and in between.

related article: Why a ballet uniform?