Need dance recital makeup help

[tcufrog]

DS7 is in his first dance recital in a few weeks. He's very excited. His hip-hop dance class is dancing to "You Can't Touch This" in silver lamé hammer pants, red lamé t-shirts, and red sequined hightops. He's convinced that he will look like a disco ball on stage. He's always loved to dance so I'm hoping he enjoys the recital and chooses to take dance class next year.

I went to the class meeting about the rehearsal and recital. During the meeting, they talked about what the girls should do for stage makeup so that their faces are seen on stage but they had zero guidance for the parents of the two boys in the class.

I was hoping y'all could help me. First off, should he wear makeup? If so, what and how do I put it on him? How do I convince him that it's okay to wear it if he needs to wear it? I'm also not sure what colors to apply since he has a very different skin tone than I have. I am pasty white with blue eyes and dirty blonde hair and he has long black hair, brown eyes, and naturally tan skin.

Any advice y'all have for me would be appreciated. I'm completely lost.

 

[yesdnil]

I'd call the dance class instructor/manager/etc to all specifically about this issue, but if you don't have a way to contact them, then I'd say grab a cheap foundation in your son's skin tone, translucent powder to set it, and maybe do a dark eyebrow pencil to emphasize his brows. I could see also maybe adding some matte bronzer to his jawline. Shouldn't need anything else.

I don't have boys, so I'm not much help at how to explain it, but 2 ideas - one is just tell him it's part of the costume. Two is to explain that stage lighting makes your face harder to see from the audience and that all performers use it. Honestly, if he gives too much pushback, you'd probably be able to just put some powder on his face to prevent glare from the lights, and that'd be better than nothing

 

[QueenIsabella]

Okay, experienced dance mom here, all 4 of my kids did/do dance, including my sons.

First off, all performers must wear make-up, otherwise they get washed out under the lights. He needs to know this--for most boys, the make-up is their least favorite thing. Except for my DS12, who loves make-up, and is already lining up clients to do eyeliner for during our performance of "Cinderella" in a couple weeks. Not so macho, that one!

But, back to your dilemma: I would buy cheap make-up in colors that work for him. It doesn't sound like raiding your stash is going to be productive, but I go cheap because you're not going to use much--you can upgrade down the road, if he's serious about performing. He'll need lipstick--go for a shade slightly darker than natural, more to the browns than the pinks. Ditto for blush. It's probably too late now, but keep an eye out for samples that you might get, that might work for him.

Eyes should be simple--something that enhances, rather than stands out. Maybe a mauve tone? If possible, I would skip eyeliner, mascara, or eyebrow pencil, unless his brows are light. It might help to aska similarly-toned friend for color ideas that they use everyday.

P.S. Buy some make-up remover wipes, if you don't already have them. Extra q-tips help, too.

 

[piccolopat]

I wouldn't force him if he doesn't want to wear makeup. It's just not that important or necessary.

 

[sahmoftwo]

I agree with calling the dance studio. My youngest just had her first recital and is in a class with both boys and girls. The boys did not wear any make-up. Every studio is different however.

 

[rodeo65]

DS is a competitive Latin dancer so different in that he isn't up on a stage with a row of lights on him, but there is overhead and spot lighting and many of the young men wear light makeup; slightly darker than skin tone shadow, blush. The young boys do not. DS is 17 and he does not, but does acquiesce to tanner because he has such a light complexion. Up until now we had him spray tanned before a competition but he hates going back to school on Monday obviously different, so for the upcoming competitions, if he doesn't get out in the sun enough to darken, we'll be going to a one use tanner; a body bronzer with a sponge applicator that he can wash off that night.

 

[Ariel484]

Maybe you could find YouTube videos of professional male dancers and show him how they are wearing make-up, to warm him up to the idea?

 

[abdmom]

DS12 is a dancer. He is also tan with black hair. He does not wear makeup for performances. The black hair (and eyebrows) provides good contrast so that his features are highlighted. He just had a performance over the weekend and looked great. The only product we used was gel for his hair to keep it in place. The adult male dancer he works with has the same complexion and didn't use any makeup either.

 

[mjkacmom]

I’d ask the dance teachers, but if they didn’t say anything, I’d assume he doesn’t need to wear it. My girls started competing at 6/7, wore makeup, but I don’t think boys at that age did.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

It depends on his skin tone and how oily his skin is. For the stage, it's best that facial expressions can be seen (so use tanner or foundation and possibly darken the eyes) and that the performer isn't so SHINY they are messing up the video recording with their contrast.

I agree with others - contact the studio and find out how they want this to be handled. Definitely have a quick chat with son about the necessities of stage makeup, show him some old classic Hollywood movies with the men COVERED in makeup LOL. Just in case when he arrives at the show, if someone is like, "AUGH he needs makeup" and shoves a puffball of powder in his face. Some Dance Moms do that kind of thing...

 

[NotUrsula]

Just as the meeting spelled out, the reason for theatrical makeup is to be able to see the performer's facial features, rather than turning them into blob-topped costumes that happen to be moving.

At 7, with that complexion, he probably doesn't HAVE to wear much, but if the girls are wearing it, the boys will look very different under the lights, and their faces will fade into the background. I'm not a dance mom, but my DD is on a mixed figure-skating team, and we do also put makeup on the boys. The most important things are eyeliner and lip stain if the brows are already dark enough. (If you do the brows, the usually way is not to thicken them but to make them arch a bit higher than they really do.) Stage makeup exaggerates the shape of the eye and the mouth from a distance. A bit of powder on the nose, forehead and chin will help reduce glare and sheen from sweat.

ELF makeup (you can buy a full range of it at Old Navy) is very cheap and decent quality for theatre. Always use brownish tones on males. Elf makes a lip stain that goes on with a marker tip, and eyeliner that goes on the same way. The eyeliner has a fine tip on the marker, so you can use it to very finely trace a line below the outer bottom lid line of the eye, slightly out from the corner and up. Then a little the same way from the top corner, with a little smear of nearly white concealer in that tiny space space between the top and bottom line (you don't want the lines to meet.) This technique makes the eyes look larger and appear as though they are opened very wide.

It's OK if stage makeup looks "fake" up-close; it's supposed to. That may get him to accept it better; it's part of the costume, and isn't supposed to make him look like a girl.

I also second the remover wipes. Best option is to have the school buy a large box from Sam's or Costco; they will use quite a few cleaning up the whole cast after the performance. (FWIW, it's also best if all of the makeup for a show is done by a couple of people in an assembly line, to achieve a consistent look for the cast.)

 

[NYCgrrl]

Highlight his cheekbones and open up his eyes with flesh coloured (his) eyeshadow (use at least 3 colours) using the same ideas that females use. Should the girls be using glitter his can go in his hair.
May the force be in his feet.

 

[superme80]

So far my boys have not worn make up on stage. They have done about 3 shows. My oldest is closer to my skin color, so a more olive color. My middle son is pale like his father. Both have been seen on stage alright. But if you are concerned I would get some super cheap make up. Our studio does not do make up on children under the age of 10.

 

[scrapquitler]

DS7 is in his first dance recital in a few weeks. He's very excited. His hip-hop dance class is dancing to "You Can't Touch This" in silver lamé hammer pants, red lamé t-shirts, and red sequined hightops. He's convinced that he will look like a disco ball on stage. He's always loved to dance so I'm hoping he enjoys the recital and chooses to take dance class next year.

I went to the class meeting about the rehearsal and recital. During the meeting, they talked about what the girls should do for stage makeup so that their faces are seen on stage but they had zero guidance for the parents of the two boys in the class.

I was hoping y'all could help me. First off, should he wear makeup? If so, what and how do I put it on him? How do I convince him that it's okay to wear it if he needs to wear it? I'm also not sure what colors to apply since he has a very different skin tone than I have. I am pasty white with blue eyes and dirty blonde hair and he has long black hair, brown eyes, and naturally tan skin.

Any advice y'all have for me would be appreciated. I'm completely lost.

Ask at the dance studio, but when my son danced (until he was 6) boys wore makeup, too. The lighting washes them out completely if they don't have it. They'll look like a person without a face. My son wore lipstick, blush and eyeliner. Tell him that all his favorite actors and rockstars wear it on stage, too.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

For a 7 year old boy? None.

Edit to add that my 4 year old has been in dance recitals on a big stage for the past 3 years (started at age 2) and none of the girls on stage (her recital is for children between 2-7 or 8) The studio owner says that light makeup is optional but most girls wear nothing.

We can see their faces fine on stage and you can't tell who is wearing makeup and who is not. Just my experience with young children performing on stage.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Okay, I will take a stab at this....
First, I wouldn't go with lipstick unless a darker skintone than lips is an issue, then I would kind of 'match'. Natural.
(unless, of course, he wants to go with the guy in full make-up look !)
For a cheap makeup, I can recommend CoverGirl CLEAN Powder-foundation. I have actually used this!
It is in a square compact, with round powder foundation inside. with an irregular shaped spongey applicator, one side is rounded, one is squared.
It can be used as a powder-foundation, if applied generously, and you might not need to use any liquid foundation at all.

I am fair to med - and I use the Buff Beige. The powders can look lighter/chalkier ON than they do in the compact. So be aware of that.

I would use a more natural shade eyeliner, to bring out the eyes, not like black like girls might use. Any dark black could look 'stark' under the lighting. And, a lipstick or a light natural lip-liner, if necessary, if the foundation makeup washes out his lips and his lips look light.

I would get a cheap twist up eyeliner crayon, and used with a very very light touch, light short strokes, this can be applied to eyebrows to bring them out.
I don't use a special eyebrow make-up.

Good luck!!!

 

[luvsJack]

I have no idea on the make up for a boy. But my dgd’s recital last weekend. Her school doesn’t require any certain amount of make up. Some wore a little, some wore a lot. You could really tell the difference on stage. The ones that looked “over done” up close looked the best on stage.

Dd was always told, if you think it’s enough, put on more.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

I would do some eyeliner and a little blush, just enough to add a little color to his face. That's what the male dancers do at my DD's studio. I don't even realize they're wearing makeup until I see them up close after.