by Dov Kornits
Born in Zimbabwe and raised in Texas, Cynthia Simango teaches Curly Hair History at NIDA, a course that explores the theoretical and practical application of textured hair in film and media.
The National Institute For Dramatic Art – most commonly known, of course, as NIDA – in Sydney is renowned for its courses on acting, performance and backstage craft, but this famed institution also offers a number of courses wading into subjects that you might not suspect. Many of these are part of the NIDA Open Masterclass series, the first of which is The Curly Hair Masterclass, which kicks off during NIDA’s Summer School in January.
The Curly Hair Masterclass is more than just about hair – it’s about creating safe, informed, collaborative creative spaces where authenticity, respect, and representation thrive. The course is designed for practicing and emerging hair and make-up artists. Participants will learn about cultural context, technical foundations, and self-awareness tools to work with all curl types confidently and respectfully. Participants will learn culturally respectful styling techniques and practice consultation processes that prioritise inclusive communication.
Running the show will be Cynthia Simango. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in Dallas, Texas, Cynthia Simango has a rich and varied history indeed. A Registered Nurse with over sixteen years’ experience in haematology and oncology, and nearly a decade as a university educator, she braids together health, culture, diversity and creativity into one extraordinary whole, and delivers it to students with abundant style and clarity. As the founder of Embrace For Every Curl – one of Australia’s first haircare brands made for curly, coily, and kinky textures – Cynthia places personal experience at the centre of education to stoke empowerment in her students. Cynthia’s work challenges stereotypes, promotes cultural identity, and encourages inclusion.
“I came to Australia sixteen years ago,” Cynthia says. “And the moment I decided to call Australia home, that’s when I started realising there’s basically no services at all for anyone with curly hair or even makeup products; there was nothing relating to anything other than Caucasian skin or white skin. And I realised that only because I was just trying to get comfortable. And when you’re trying to be at home, you look for your hairdresser, you look for things that make you feel comfortable. Most people with straight hair, they don’t even think twice about making an appointment. If this hairdresser is not available, they go to another one. Makeup things, you can choose different brands just for your own liking. But for people with different skin tones and different hair types, the luxury is not like that.”
After talking to various people in Sydney, Cynthia learned that there were businesses specialising in non-white hair and skin, but they were located in areas where those communities were established, and not in central Sydney, where Cynthia lived. “I’m like, ‘Where is that?’” Cynthia says. “I didn’t even know there was a place called Blacktown. I was like, ‘You’ve got to be joking!’ That ended up just stirring something in me. Even though there’s more progress needed in Texas or America, there are a lot of products and services for Black people, anyone with curly hair. I don’t have to think twice about finding a barber. When those things are not readily available, that’s when you start questioning a lot of things, and you start seeing yourself as a different person.”
That lack of products and services extends to the entertainment industry, even though the intentions might be good. “They want to use models that look like me or that are diverse in different skin tones, but they don’t know how to cater to them,” Cynthia explains. “Basically, the model is sitting there, they mess up their makeup, they damage their hair, and yet that model or the talent is supposed to still present and do the job that they’re being hired to do. There’s such a divide. There’s a heavy trauma that is connected to all these life experiences where you continue to question yourself and your self-worth because there’s nothing that caters to the basic needs that other people get to enjoy.”
For the industry to truly change, that needs to be addressed. “If we are going to have all this wonderful diverse talent in the industry, we also need to take the steps to actually make sure we have services and that we cater to them according to what they need so they can also perform and be present when they’re doing the job they’re hired to do. What’s missing in between that is that the talent has their own lived experiences that makes them hesitant to have certain people touch their hair or makeup. And then the makeup and hair people are also saying, ‘Look, I would really love to service the diverse clientele, but I don’t have the skill. And I also am a little bit hesitant or careful in how to actually approach them or how to service them.’ The client is saying, ‘Look, I’ve spent years with people damaging my hair. I’ve spent years with people putting makeup on my face and it makes me look like a ghost or I don’t look right, or I’ve been told to just deal with it.’”
Cynthia Simango hopes that her NIDA course will help to shift this disparity. “The first part of it is basically just understanding the history of why this hair type has been excluded or why the perception around skin tones and even what the standard of what beauty is and how it’s actually affecting us,” Cynthia explains. “We talk about the historical context, and then we also cover just the basic differences of what makes curly hair curly and what makes straight hair straight. Because if you don’t understand this, then you also want to understand how to take care of it. And then we cover a little bit about the products that you may use. And then we also cover conflict resolution, how to advocate for yourself, and why that is important. We talk about creating safe spaces and navigating conflicts on the job and even navigating conflicts between you, the professional, and the client that you’re serving and vice versa.”
The issues of advocacy and appropriate care are an important part of the course. “The client needs to know how to advocate for themselves to also make sure that they get the proper service that they need,” Cynthia explains. “And then the other aspect is we have hands-on training where you practice on mannequins. There are some people that have never touched my hair or curly hair. We have mannequins where we just practice some basic styling of refreshing and afro, and also they understand how their hair behaves, and they’ll learn a couple of styles. And then we’ll cover a little bit about the tools that are necessary for taking care of this hair type.”
By opening up the world of non-white hair and skin to professionals and aspirants in the film industry, Cynthia Simango hopes to bring about change in a profoundly positive and inclusive way. “Everybody wants to do better, learn about each other’s cultures, and live life and grow together,” Cynthia says. “I’m asking those questions that need to be asked. Let’s talk about it and then make sure we respect each other on a human level. Granted, we’re addressing this through helping with the industry. But at the core of it, everybody just wants to feel human and accepted. We want to feel seen, and there should be a respectful way of addressing our differences. But also, if we are going to make money or capitalise on individuals, we also need to be aware of the things they need to perform well so they can also be understood and actually be at their best when they’re working or performing and doing the job that they’re doing. I think some of these things that we call problems are actually not problems. It’s just a matter of having conversations and cultural awareness. Then we can all navigate the spaces.”
For all information about Cynthia Simango’s Curly Hair Masterclass at NIDA, click here.
