Just like your technique and girls dancewear, your hair is a vital component of your performance. If not done right, it can get in your way, impacting how you look and feel on the stage. Likewise, it can be distracting for the audience who are looking more at your hair than your high leaps. So how can you create performance hair that's secure and offers a sense of drama, but doesn't distract either? With these performance-ready hair tips.

Take good care of your hair.

Being a dancer is hard on your body, and that includes your hair. Even if you're just going to dance class, many times you're likely required to wear a bun slicked back. These hairstyles put a lot of stress on your tresses due to hair being pulled tightly for so long, not to mention all the products you have to douse your hair with.

That's why it's vitally important that you take good care of your hair. That means eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of protein. In fact, you may not know this, but your hair is made up of protein. So if you don't eat enough of it, you could experience hair loss. Make sure your diet includes regular helpings of chicken, turkey, eggs, fish and other healthy sources of protein.

Another important way to take good care of your hair is to get it trimmed regularly. You might want super long hair. But if you trim it regularly -- at least once every two to three months -- it's going to look better and be healthier too. That's because doing so eliminates split ends, as well as hair damage. As a result, your hair will break less and grow in thicker.

Fight frizz.

One of the biggest obstacles to performance-ready hair is a fine layer of frizz all over your head. Frizz is caused by hair that is overly dry from styling or treating too much. What's a dancer to do? In the shower, try a leave-in conditioner. This will promote optimal moisture levels in your hair that fight against frizz.

Also, if you give your hair a cold blast of water at the end of your shower, it will also help your hair to look shinier. Finally, if you're doing your hair for a performance, and you have tons of frizz and flyaways, take a toothbrush and spray it with hair spray. Then comb it lightly over the problem spots. This should get them to stay in place during your performance.

Make sure you have the right tools.

Beyond your girls dance wear and accessories, you also need the right hair tools. In a regular day, you might need a brush and some hairspray. But when it comes to a dance performance, you're going to need an arsenal of tools, including a spray bottle with water, hairspray, hair gel, a toothbrush, a bun donut if you want the perfect bun, hair ties and lots of pins. Also, have some baby wipes on hand in case you get hair spray or gel on your face. This way, when you're doing your hair, you don't need to stop in search of more pins or a hair tie.

Create the perfect stage-ready bun.

The bun is the gold standard when it comes to dance-ready hair. But creating it can sometimes be a challenge if you don't know how to do it for the stage. You need it to be both neat and secure, but also not so tight that it's uncomfortable and gives you a headache.

• To begin, wet your hair slightly with either water or hair gel. If your hair is just-washed -- and silky smooth, as a result, then use a texturizing spray.
• Next, pull your hair into a high ponytail. Be careful about height if you're wearing a headpiece. If you are, you will likely want a lower ponytail. Once your ponytail is secured into place, then use your donut bun and pull your ponytail through it.
• Divide the hair in the ponytail into two parts, one on the left and one on the right. Take one side, twist it around the donut bun, and then start pinning. U-shaped pins often work best for this, especially if you have thick hair. Once done, take the other section and twist and pin it the other way around your bun donut. Make sure all loose pieces are secured.
• Finish off this look with plenty of hairspray to hold it into place.
• To add some drama to this classic look, do a small side braid on the front side of your head and secure it in place with a clear elastic hair tie before you start the bun-making process.
• Also, if you want to do double-side buns, then follow the same tips above. Except, instead of making one ponytail in the center of the head, create two on either side of your head.

Secure headpieces.

When you're on the stage, dancing, the last thing you're going to want to worry about is how secure your hair feels, especially your headpiece. And if yours starts to come loose during a performance, that's a problem. Instead, prevent this from happening in the first place with plenty of bobby pins. When you put them into place around the headpiece, also try to make sure they are crossing each other, which will add even more security.

Be gentle with your hair.

The last thing you want is a bald spot from a ponytail pulled too tightly in the same spot over and over again. So make sure you're gentle with your hair when you're doing it for the stage. That includes not brushing it too hard and also not using hair ties with metal bands that can get caught in your hair and pull it out.

Invest in quality hair products.

When you're putting a lot of product on your hair on a regular basis, it's important to go with the highest quality ones you can afford. These generally have higher concentrations of active ingredients that produce optimal results.

Looking for high-quality, cheap dance clothes?

Look no further than Just for Kix. We know you not only want your hair to look perfect on performance day, but also your girls dance wear too. We offer a variety of stylish and affordable options so you can look your best and dazzle the audience. Shop our dance clothes!