Tattoos and Piercings in Ballroom Dancing

[pygmalion]

Ooh. I thought, "Tragus?" So of course I was forced to google. :lol: Did it hurt?

 

[Yliander]

As for tatoos, I personally don't like the way they look on the floor. Even if they work with your costume, they tend to look like a smudge from a distance. I'd go with the Dermablend.

I'm sure little ones would look like a smudge and dermablend all the way - mines a little large for that though

 

[delamusica]

Ooh. I thought, "Tragus?" So of course I was forced to google. :lol: Did it hurt?

Yeah, actually. That's a thick chunck of ear!

And here's a picture of a conch piercing, just for fun:

 

[delamusica]

I'm sure little ones would look like a smudge and dermablend all the way - mines a little large for that though

IMO, even the big ones usually are too intricate for the design to be visible from the floor, and end up looking dirty.

Although, I saw a picture earlier today of a woman with a butterfly on her shoulder and an open-backed latin dress, and I thought it would have been really cool if she had used eyelash glue to rhinestone the butterfly in the colors of the ink. You know, if you can't hide it, flaunt it, right?

Enough rhinestones can ballroom-ize anything!

 

[pygmalion]

Enough rhinestones can ballroom-ize anything!

Words to live by!


(And both of those piercings look pretty painful to me. *shudder* )

 

[Yliander]

Although, I saw a picture earlier today of a woman with a butterfly on her shoulder and an open-backed latin dress, and I thought it would have been really cool if she had used eyelash glue to rhinestone the butterfly in the colors of the ink.

OOooo what a lovely idea!!!!

Enough rhinestones can ballroom-ize anything!

LOL

 

[hustleNflow]

Someone's mention of Mazen Hamsa's tattoo in on of the OSB threads got me thinking about this: are visible tattoos (or body piercings, or crazy hair color, or even outrageous costuming...for lack of a better term, we'll collectively refer to them as "miscellaneous unorthodoxy") a detriment on the competition floor, or do they not really matter at all?

Ideally, I think we'd all like to assume that judges are so focused on our dancing that they'd be able to overlook a tattoo or interesting piercing here or there if someone's dancing was truly good. However, my coach brought up an interesting point to me last night: "If two couples dance equally as good, and one of them has a tattoo and other doesn't, who do you think is going to get the higher placement?"

This is especially pertinent to me, as I do have a visible tattoo on my foot, and I'm contemplating whether or not to cover it up for an upcoming competition. Part of me understands that I have to "play the game" and wow judges with my appearance as well as my dancing; but another part of me still wants to be "true to myself" and leave it out in the open and let my dancing do the talking. Can things like tattoos and piercings really be "deal breakers" on the competition floor? What do you guys think?

 

[emeralddancer]

Just like in the real world YES.

That being said ... when my pro found out I had a tattoo he said very plainly to me how Not good it is. (I have it on my lower back and it actually means something to me.) So ergo if I ever get into a comp dress my lower back better not be showing!

 

[Laura]

Ideally, I think we'd all like to assume that judges are so focused on our dancing that they'd be able to overlook a tattoo or interesting piercing here or there if someone's dancing was truly good.

I think that only applies at very high levels of "truly good," and sometimes not even then (look at Mazen...great dancer...people still talking about the tat).

See if you can cover it with that kind of makeup that is used to cover surgical scars or spider veins.

 

[DrDoug]

I've heard several judges talk about the importance of grooming, costuming, personal presentation, etc. I don't recall any of them specifically mentioning "unorthodoxy", and tastes vary, but I can't imagine any judge marking someone unfavorably for not having a tattoo.

 

[etp777]

Several threads on coverin gup tats if you go that route.

Needles scare me, so not a concern. Besides, tattoo I've always wanted will be on left bicep, so wouldnt' see it in costume anyway.

 

[chasphoto]

I don't have any tats but I think appearance matters. You may remember I started the link on wearing glasses. My feeling is cover them. My own feeling on tats which doesn't really matter. Why have something on my body forever, I wouldn't hang on my wall for six months.

 

[tanya_the_dancer]

I've heard several judges talk about the importance of grooming, costuming, personal presentation, etc. I don't recall any of them specifically mentioning "unorthodoxy", and tastes vary, but I can't imagine any judge marking someone unfavorably for not having a tattoo.

I can imagine something looks-related being a tie-breaker, when the couples are very close, and tattoos are certainly something that can add to the negative side. Besides, the tattoos can really look distracting. I've seen a pro rhythm event, where one competitor had a big flower tattoo on her lower back, and the dress covered some of it. It definitely distracted from her dancing.

 

[_malakawa_]

I am not against tattoos, actually, I like them if they are nice and small.

I have a belly piercing and in most of the cases open dress.

 

[latingal]

actually, I think in latin tatoos can be difficult. they might clash with the dress or be partially covered or not by some line in the dress, it can be potentially distracting.