I was late to join the emoji craze, but once I finally did I went all in. Emojis say so much with a single little icon, and the dancing girls happen to be some of my favorites. When I visited the piñata district in downtown LA and spotted some fairy-style piñatas, I instantly knew they would make the perfect base for emoji-inspired creations. So I turned them into dancing girls emoji piñatas. Yes, I know there’s an original inspiration for the dance pose—no spoilers here—but that didn’t stop me. An emoji piñata was too fun to pass up.
Supplies used:
- Two fairy piñatas
- Black paint and paintbrush
- Yellow tissue paper (one sheet)
- Black and red cardstock
- Hot glue gun
- X-acto knife
- Lollipop stick
I felt a little weird photographing myself taking apart a human-shaped piñata, so I’ll describe the process in words. Here’s how I transformed the fairy piñatas into dancing girls emoji piñatas:
- Remove the skirt, hair bun, and the white shoe poufs. These pieces are usually glued on and can be gently pulled off.
- Detach the wings. On my piñatas the wings were a separate cardboard piece, so I cut them off and taped or glued any gaps on the back to smooth the surface.
- Paint a leotard and shoes. Use black paint to cover any exposed newspaper or rough spots where the original skirt was attached, and paint the shoes or feet black to match the emoji look.
- Add hair with tissue paper. Cut the yellow tissue into four equal pieces. Gather one piece at the top and secure it with hot glue to the side of the head; repeat on the other side. If the tissue hair sticks out too far, glue the edges along the face so it lies flatter.
- Carefully remove any existing eyes if present.
- Cut new eyes and a mouth from cardstock to match the emoji expression you’re creating, then glue them onto the face.
- Shape the arms. To mimic the emoji pose, gently fold the arms and secure the bend with hot glue so they hold the dancing position.
- Create the kicked leg. Cut a small slit under one leg, bend the leg outward, and insert a lollipop stick to brace it. Glue the stick to the leg so it stays in the kicked-out position.
All photos by Studio DIY
These piñatas make me smile—part hilarious, part awesome, and maybe a tiny bit creepy. I love how playful they are, and they’re a perfect party touch if you want something whimsical and unexpected. Give them personality with expressive eyes and a confident leg kick, and you’ve got an emoji-themed decoration that really stands out.
Do you have a “spirit emoji” that feels like you? One that you use all the time or that perfectly captures your vibe? Mine’s another dancing-girl variant, but these two always show up in my frequently used list. Happy crafting and happy emoji-ing!