new thread
So here's my conundrum: I'm a dreadhead, and I'm a contact juggler.
It normally isn't much of a problem until I get into behind-the-neck rolls, and head rolls/stalls. Most contact jugglers respond by cutting off their long hair and/or dreadlocks.
Now I'm not considering actually cutting all my hair off, but I was considering going to a compromise by keeping the locks on the crown of my head, while shaving the rest, allowing me to keep some locks, but also allowing me to more easily perform head rolls and back roll type moves. The style is referred to as a Khokhol.
What are your thoughts?
I'd vote for a big 'NO'. You have the most righteous dreads I've ever seen on a white dude (I mean this sincerely). I would not cut those to what you're thinking about. I think they look wonderful as is. If I was trying to grow dreads (some day) you'd be a huge inspiration. Just my 2 cents.
Vince.
I agree. Surely, there must be some way to innovate and do the feats and tricks of juggling other ways that do not involve losing the awesome dreads. It's your decision, but you did ask ;-)>>>
Yes I did ask, and I appreciate all feedback, both for and against. The decision won't be made for a while, and in the meantime I'm busy working on strengthening my neck and back muscles to try and help out with the problem.
I my self am a juggler, though not a contact juggler, i know quite a few people who are. Of those there are 4 with long hair, 2 being dread heads. Both of them have their hair cut in that way and it seems to work fine for them.
They juggle full time and don't have an office to go to, so it works great for them.
If you are serious enough about your juggling that you would be willing to do it, then i say go for it. Long hair isnt about having a particular long hair style. Its both physical (having some hair being long) and psychological (thinking of your self as having long hair even if its not to others expectations).
I say do it if it fits what you do.
clayton
Well now I understand why you call yourself "That Ball Guy" after watching that video clip.LOL.Anyway after watching it I was wondering how that guy at the 20 thru 22 second point manages with his longhair even though its not dreads.I suppose though if your really feel the hair would affect your performance then I guess cutting it in some way like you suggested might be a solution but I first would try to find creative ways to tie it back before going the cutting route.Just make sure thats what you want before doing it.Good luck and let us know what you decide.Mark
Hello
Ballguy
If thats your choice good luck with it then
Axel
Well, Ballguy, the shot of the guy w/dreads at 0:49 has pretty cool hair, too, though I notice that even with shaved sides and back he still wears a bandana or some other type of wrap to hold the hair growing from his crown from spilling over onto his neck. Could a wrap such as that serve the purpose you are hoping to achieve through cutting? If so, I would advise against cutting. That said, you need to make a professional decision here and none but you will bear the cost of the decision. Best of luck whatever you do.
Now about the link...
I must say that the video clip was really cool: Like 'Cirque du Soleil' of the hands! Manipulating so many objects at once takes incredible dexterity and each person in the video made it look easy, almost effortless. Wow! Have you posted (or would you post) some material so I can watch you and your dreads in action?
Shawn (Mr.Crow)
It helps to keep the hair off the neck, and I usually tie my hair up in a tall column-style topknot to do behind-the-neck stuff. The issue is that as they get longer (and the topknot taller) the weight gets rather strenuous on my neck during head rolls. Tilt your head on it side to the right, now bend at your torso to the point where your temple is paralell with the ground. Now imagine the weight of a foot-tall pillar of hair sticking straight out. Now imagine swinging down into that position, and having to reverse quickly in rapid succession. I usually can't practice headrolls for more than 10 minutes before my neck and back start to cramp up. . .and I am religious about stretching before practice!
Wow! Have you posted (or would you post) some material so I can watch you and your dreads in action?
There's a couple of clips of me doing my ball thing in this clip from Austin in December.
Most of that weekend was just messing around, so there's nothing as polished as in the "In Isolation" clip, but hopefully you'll enjoy it.
I'm not an expert on juggling or a doctor but I have to wonder
if maybe you need to change your act.
The problem almost sounds like it's not your hair, but the
pressure you're putting on your neck. I have to wonder if
any hair change will fix that,
Have you visisted a doctor to get his/her expert advice?
I'd start with a visit to a doctor, level with him/her
about what you're actually doing.
This sounds more like a medical issue rather than a hair issue.
I love the irony of the production company for that video calling themselves "beard".
hehe
As for your conundrum, I've got nothing. Sorry.
It's not a common situation, so far as I can tell, and so I understand most people not being able to identify.
I'd cut the hair as only an absolute last resort and then
only if you absolutely had to for a job.
I'd suggest trying to find a way to have the best of both worlds,
keep the juggling and keep the long hair. Surely between all the
dreadheads they can come up with a solution to the problem. (Auto mechanics with dreads/long hair/what do you do and what
would you suggest for this poster?)
Surely there has to be a way this poster can have the best of
both worlds.
(I'm saying this as a long hair who has lots of trouble juggling one ob ject.)
Surely you're not the first to encounter this problem. There
has to be a way to keep both the juggling and the dreads.
That's why I was considering the Khokhol cut, because I would still retain having long dreadlocks, but on a part of my head which isn't really used for contact juggling. . .and I'd be reducing the weight so that headrolls wouldn't be so painful
I'm working on strengthening my neck/back muscles so I can take the strain for a bit longer. . .but I have a history of bad back problems, so we'll see how long that goes
Gotta run and go build a yurt now.
Don't let your hair get in the way of your art.
Shaved with dread on top would look amazing and unique anyway.
Good luck with you decision.
Thanks for the input. . .so far it's been about 50/50 pro/against the cut with other people I've been asking
Well, the question is how meaningful your dreads are to you. You have to remember that it takes a few minutes to cut or shave off some locks, but years to grow it back, and if you did decide to grow it back, it'd be so weird to focus on a certain patch of short, undreaded hair among your mature locks. In other words, cutting them will temporarily solve your juggling issue, but they may complicate things enormously later on. You have to ask yourself how much your dreads really mean to you, and at the same time, how much your art means to you. If your heart is in your heart, then go for it, but always be aware of the consequences.
Is it impossible to wear a tam while you're juggling? If the ball is spinning, the tam would probably slow it down too much, but what if you put a plate of smooth material on the tam's surface or something? You know, make a special tam just for performing.
Let us know your decision.
Peace
Believe me, I have taken this into consideration, but I wouldn't be doing it as a short term thing either. I've been juggling/contact juggling longer than I've been a longhair/dreadhead.
In other words, cutting them will temporarily solve your juggling issue, but they may complicate things enormously later on.
But like I said, it's not a "temporary" issue. . .it's the path I'm taking with my art, and have been taking for several years.
You have to ask yourself how much your dreads really mean to you, and at the same time, how much your art means to you. If your heart is in your heart, then go for it, but always be aware of the consequences.
That's why I'm not thinking of just cutting them all off. . .I figured it was a compromise between my dreads (which symbolises just letting my hair do its thing), and the contact juggling (I've already stopped wearing any type of bracelets, and other similar modifications for my art)
It's not so much the texture of the tam, as having a several-inch speed bump on my neck. If I have it in a tam, I can do headrolls (but only on the temples and forehead), and if I have it tied up in a columnus topknot, I can do behind-the-neck rolls, but it gets painfully straining on the neck to do headrolls
For sure, I'll let you guys know before it happens. . .IF it happens. . .it's not a given yet, and even if I do decide to go with the haircut, It won't be before Scarborough.