2025–26 Season

The Nutcracker Bird Performance: Youth Division: Makeup Guide

Guidance on how to apply your or your dancer's stage makeup on Face, Eyes, and Lips and Cheeks; please follow guidelines for your or your dancer's Youth Division Level.

• All performers wear stage makeup regardless of age or gender. Stage makeup is necessary when performing in a large theater. Stage makeup helps a dancer look and feel their part, and it allows the audience to see their facial features and expressions.

• Faces are washed out under bright stage lights, so stage makeup is applied in a much more exaggerated manner than street makeup to enhance a performer’s features and expressivity. Stage makeup looks severe and extreme up close, but this is necessary for the audience to see dancers features from far away.

• Dancers are required to provide their own makeup for performances. Please label makeup with your first and last name.

• Dancers are required to bring their own small mirror.

• Please do not share makeup. Makeup transmits germs and can lead to infection.

• Purchase makeup at drug stores like CVS and Walgreens. Make choices that fit your budget and only consider investing in more expensive products as your performance opportunities increase.

• Dancers/families are expected to apply their own basic stage makeup. Faculty and volunteers can assist with touch ups if dancers provide their own supplies.

• Learn from fellow dancers, teachers, and volunteers who can give you tips!

Makeup Requirements:

Face:

• All Levels, Pointe and Batterie Syllabus:

  • Use cream, liquid or mineral foundation matching your dancer’s skin tone

  • Apply using makeup sponges or a brush

  • Blend foundation into the hairline, temples, neck, and on ears

  • Translucent finishing powder applied with brush is added after foundation, eyeshadow and blush, but before lipstick

Eyes:

• All Levels, Pointe and Batterie Syllabus:

  • Beige or brown eyeshadow: Select a color 1–2 shades lighter than your skin tone, this is the base color to be applied to the entire eyelid

  • Medium to dark brown eyeshadow: Applied in the crease to accentuate the eye

  • Dark Brown or Black waterproof mascara

• Level 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 only:

  • Dark brown or black waterproof eyeliner: Liquid is gentler on younger dancers’ skin but requires the dancers to remain still for the eyeliner to dry

  • Depending on a dancer’s role, they may want to choose brown for a more natural look

  • White eyeliner pencil to be applied under the dark eyeliner to accentuate the eyes

• Level 7, 8, and 9 Pointe Syllabus Only:

  • False Eyelashes and Eyelash glue

Lips and Cheeks:

• All Levels, Pointe and Batterie Syllabus:

  • Brighter blush than you would normally wear applied along the cheekbones

• Introduction to Level 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 Batterie Syllabus:

  • Natural lipstick/tint is dark enough to be visible and that suits the dancer’s skin tone

• Level Introduction to Level 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Pointe Syllabus dancers:

  • Lipstick/tint: Subtle red/pink lip that suits the dancer’s skintone

• Level 6, 7, 8, and 9 Pointe Syllabus:

  • Red lipstick that suits the dancer’s skin tone, lip pencil