Any tips to prevent your head from coming off

[drskater]

I know that several of you must have experience in this area. When skating in an animal/mascot costume, how do you keep that [bleeping] head from falling off? For one of my holiday routines, I'm dressed up as a giant reindeer. The head costume is so heavy and loose that if I jiggle (shimy and shake) the head starts to bounce and swing around. I like the comedy component but it's annoying to have stop moving and readjust my "head," in order to see.

Yes, it's okay to laugh...

[icedancer]

You are hilarious!

[Sk8tmum]

Okay, help us to visualize this. Is it resting on your shoulders, or is it just sort of resting on top of your head? If it is on your shoulders, then, an elastic webbing that fastens to the bottom of the head and then to you should help hold it in place a bit ... if it's on top of your head ... then ... hmmm ... I just keep visualizing the Grublets on Ice from Blades of Glory...

[Isk8NYC]

Our rink puts on The Nutcracker on Ice annually.  The boy playing the Prince / Nutcracker this year was waiting to step on the ice last night while holding his giant head, lol.  (The Nutcracker head, not his real head.)  So I took a peek...

It was filled inside with soft cushion foam from the sewing store.  I think they added new foam this year since everything looked clean and tight.  (Last year's skater was older and bigger) 

There was an opening in the center so he could put his head inside, maybe 5" in diameter.  He said he had to be careful about not squashing his ears. The face part was open, so he could see and breath, but there was a strip of foam across his brow so the head didn't move much. 

[drskater]

Ha ha, thanks!!! I figured out that a variety of shoulder and arm movements could keep the head on--it is sort of like puppetry. Anyway, during the program I got carried away and  started doing that hip-hop snake move down on the ice....and my head did indeed fall off. The crowd said "awwww" very sympathetically. But the whole experience was a hoot! Man, do I feel for all those ice show performers!