Article written by dance company member, Robin Nunnally
The Chorus Girl Show Kit
Thinking about starting to perform as a showgirl or chorus girl? This blog will explore a few of our favorites when it comes to preparing to take the stage and building your own Chorus Girl Show Kit. Below are some of the things I keep in my kit to make sure I’m covered (sometimes literally) and ready for the stage!
A Strong Hairspray
One of the most important things you’ll need is a good strong hairspray in your kit. Be careful about certain brands that may dry your hair out quickly. I like the TRESemmé brand, myself. Quick tip on applying it before stage: Spray onto the finished hairstyle, then use the can itself to rub over the hair. If you use your hands to try to smooth down frizzies, your hands can get tacky and the hair will stick to your palm. Using the can helps avoid that.
A Long Lasting Red Lipstick
On Sister Kate Dance Company, we love a strong red lip. We don’t have an official team red, as we want dancers to wear the shade most flattering to their skin tone. Bright reds can of course be heavier on orange or on pink. I love the “Always Red” Sephora Lip Stain. I find it will last through double show nights! It’s the brand of lipstick I wear now. I’d suggest going into a Sephora and testing different shades of red on your hand to find your perfect shade.
Double Stick Tape
Not necessarily always needed, but it doesn’t hurt to have some on hand! This is especially handy if you are wearing a corset where the top doesn’t quite keep your bust secure, or where you might be doing a lot of athletic bouncing in a strapless top.
Extra Safety Pins
Safety pins can be a lifesaver, particularly if you have a sudden costume rip moments before going on stage. Buttons sometimes pop off at inopportune times as well, so a safety pin is a great quick fix.
Extra Bobby Pins
Your hair is set in your vintage hairstyle or under your vintage styled wig. Have you done the shake test yet? No joke – do a little 1990s headbanging to make sure everything is secure before you go on. Quick Tip: remember to place the wavy side of the bobby pin DOWN (so it’s resting against your scalp), and don’t forget to criss cross your bobby pins in an “x” to extra secure the style.
Fake Eyelashes
Fake eyelashes (or false eyelashes) are essentially a requirement for Sister Kate Dance Company performers. Fake eyelashes can seem daunting to apply at first but it really just takes practice.
Eyelash Glue
Duo also makes a glue that dries black, if you plan on adding an eyeliner later. Quick Tip: After you’ve applied the wet glue to the lashes, give it a good 30 seconds to dry a bit before placing on your lash line. This will allow a bit of tackiness to build up and will help it stick quicker.
A Fine Point Makeup Brush
I enjoy a thin angle brush, and I particularly love mine from Sephora. If you are like me and you have blonder and thinner eyebrows, having a good brow brush will help you easily draw in your eyebrows for the stage. I use some regular eyeshadow from one of my makeup palettes to fill them in.
…. So, those are a few of my must-haves for my show kit when I’m packing to hit the stage. What are some items that you can’t live without as a performer?