Brea

Having never been very 'girly' it has not even occurred to me that I might get a pedicure for dancing. Can you do this yourself, and how? How necessary is it...and how time consuming?

-Brea

adiemus

I just painted my toenails red for the first time!! Apart from using pumice to scrib my heels, and some routine nail clipping and moisturising, my feet are basically neglected!! I think there could be nothing (much!) more awesome than sitting with your feet being massaged and pampered and coming out with stunning nailpolish!

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He wahine, he taonga- Every woman is a treasure(Maori proverb)

Elektra

I love PEDICURES But unforchantely, I don't find them useful for dancing very much. The paint/designs of the nails scrap off if you dance without shoes or when you decide to do floor work.

I don't worry so much about losing my pedicure when I'm performing because I wear hermes. But I always reherse barefoot and just the act of dancing isn't very pedicure friendly.

I try to do my own pedicures now-a-days, that way if the pedicure gets messy after dancing, I don't get very bothered because I didn't just a lose money at a salon.

But always get a pedicure for photographs! I highly recommend it!

Kharmine

I notice feet a lot because I used to study massage and did a lot of foot massage for dancers in my folk dance group. In my experience, ballet dancers have the worst feet, followed by folk dancers.

I do my own manicures and pedicures and they're not hard to do,usually while I'm listening to music or TV or something. I do 'em about once a week, and it takes me about half an hour to do the pedicure alone.

The bare minimum is to remove any old nail polish (look for the kind of remover that has moisturizer), brush on some cuticle remover, and gently push back the cuticles with an orange stick. File straight across and in one direction, not going down the sides (I use a Diamond Deb -- a tip from my mandolin teacher for good, hard nails). I use the same nail file's tip to clean under the nails.

I don't usually bother with nail polish. You can make the nails look superb just with some buffing cream and a nail buffer, which you can buy at beauty supply stores (the kind the pros shop at, but don't require you to be one).

Buffing will smooth the nails so they have an even, satiny, shiny surface like clear polish, but without chipping or fading. The buffing also really helps the nails to be healthier and stronger.

Keep a pumice stone in the shower and once a week rub it gently over the rough areas (don't do it too often or too hard, you build up tough spots). At least a couple times a week (more often in summer) before bed, rub some lotion well into your feet, particularly on the toes and heels, and wear socks. Massaging the feet feels excellent, too.

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What if the hokey pokey is really what it's all about?

Moon

I don't do that much about my feet:
I make sure to dry them really well after showering (very important). I push push back the cuticle, clean the underside of the nails (where I can reach it ofcourse) and clip them when they get too long. I try to clip and veil them in such a way they won't grow into the skin. And I apply basic transparant nail polish before I apply a certain colour. (I almost always wear nail polish and I know it's not so good, but my feet look weird without )
For the rest I sometimes scrub my heels. And what I feel is the most important is try not to wear shoes all day long! I take my shoes and socks off as soon as I get home. Feet love fresh air.

Because I always wear nail polish on my toe nails, I also wear it for dancing. I never have any problems with it, but I only wear some colour, not some special design, that could make a difference. And I haven't done floor work so far.

Brea

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the tips! I often do floorwork and love backbends and Turkish drops. However, I haven't had haole feet in years, and I wear slippahs (Hawaiian for flipflops) most of the day except when I'm working on the train. My feet are calloused enough and the nails are hard enough to walk barefoot over lava rock, which comes from years of working and living on the Big Island of Hawai'i. I've never paid any attention to my feet before so this will be a very new experience for me.

-Brea

Kharmine

Brea, having nice-looking feet is part of overall polish and charm but giving them extra attention by using pumice stone and lotion will also improve their circulation and help them to feel great.

And when your tootsies feel great, you dance better!

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What if the hokey pokey is really what it's all about?

Venefica

I never get my feet to look good. I have slightly deformed toes and the toe nails grow in all directions, but here is what I do whit them.

Step one: I remember old nail polish. Using whatever nail polish remember I can find. Remember to wash your hands afterwards.

Step two: Get a big bowl or bucket or like I have a foot bath (My mother gave it to me for my birthday one year.) fill it whit warm water. It is nice to add some goodies especially for feet to the bath or mix up something whit oils, but this is not necessary. Plop your feet in and read a good book for about 15 minutes plus/minus 5 minutes.

Step three: Put one foot up on your knee and use a stone meant for this that you will get cheap in beauty stores remove hard skin. Repeat on other foot. You want to do this while the food is still warm and moist.

Step four: Dry food and sitting like before, and not in clothes you worry about getting stained by cream rub a good, fat foot cream into your feet and preferably give them a bit of massage. The let the cream go into the skin while you read or watch TV.

Step five: When the feet are dry find some nail polish you like, put your feet on an old news paper to protect your floor and give yourself a good two coats of nail polish on the toe nails, more or less depending on the polish and how dark you want to color.

Step six: Repeat as needed, every two weeks or so, may need to refresh the polish before that though. Also be good to your feet, walk barefoot in the grass now and then if you can, wear socks and shoes that breathe. Remember your feet are your foundation, your connection to Earth. They are what you walk and dance on your whole life so treat them nice.

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Ash Begets Chaos. Chaos Begets Primordial Life--Haunting Grounds.

Gia al Qamar

I am very 'big' on pedicures...even if I don't have time to polish my nails, I always have polish on my toes!
Honestly...I find that the cheapest nail polish wears beautifully! I have a stash of 99-cent polish that wears right though teaching classes, floorwork, performances, in and out of shoes!
Before going to sleep, I slather on moisturizer.
I do a full pedicure about once every 3-4 weeks.
Gia

KuteNurse

Pedicures are heavenly! I love sitting on the massaging chairs soaking my feet in scented water. I could use a pedicure right now...lol