How to Do the Perfect Ballet Bun

Being a dancer you’ve probably put your hair into a bun hundreds of times! But what’s the secret to achieving a perfectly smooth ballet bun which stays in place as you dance?

We’ve teamed up with Natalie Danza, one of our Move Dance brand ambassadors, to create this hair tutorial so you can create the perfect ballet bun for class or performances.

Here’s our step by step guide to get that perfect ballet bun!

First of all, begin by brushing your hair away from your face. Once your hair is smooth you can start to gather it up into a ponytail. As you do the ponytail make sure you neaten it out so your bun is smooth and sleek. It’s a good idea to use a comb to make sure your ponytail has no bumps.

Take your bobble and tie it securely around your ponytail - it’s up to your preference how high or low your ponytail is. If you watch the video below, you’ll see that Natalie ties hers at a typical bun height. Make sure to tie it securely and tight.

Now you’ve got your ponytail, it’s time to work on the ballet bun! How you create the perfect bun shape depends on the length of your hair. For shorter hair, it’s useful to use a bun ring, commonly known as a hair doughnut.

As you can see in the video, Natalie has quite long hair and can just wrap her hair around to create the bun shape. She twists her ponytail and begins to wrap it around to create a bun. Make sure to tuck in the end once you’ve wrapped it around, you don’t want any hair sticking out.

A bun net is not necessary when doing your everyday bun for class but for exams or performances you’ll want to use one to make sure your bun is tight and secure while you dance. Plus, it makes your bun look neater. Twist the bun net around your bun as many times as you need to - it depends how much hair you have as to how many times you wrap it around. Loosen the bun net for a bigger bun and tighten it for a smaller bun.

Secure your bun with hair grips to make sure it stays in place. Use hair grips to flatten baby hairs too, both underneath your bun at the back of your head and either side of your bun. Make sure the hair grips are secured tightly, you don’t want them flying out when you’re doing your pirouettes!

When you’re happy with your bun you can spray it with hairspray to make sure it stays in place as you dance.

Check your ballet bun looks perfect in the mirror and you’re ready to dance!