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Home > Dance Products Review
Dance Bag Essentials
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Every dancer needs to make sure they are prepared, especially when tending to a rigorous dance schedule. What a dancer carries in their dance bag can sometimes make or break a day in dance class. Without being properly equipped, a dancer is sure to be left unprepared to dance when circumstances arise.
The only way to narrow down the possibility of being caught off guard is to equip the dance bag with emergency items. A dancer needs to be able to concentrate on their dancing, rest assured that they are prepared for anything that comes their way. Dance happens fast, and opportunities are everywhere, being ill-prepared could cost an audition, admittance into a higher class level, or a festering injury.
Dancehelp compiled a list of the most important things a dancer should have in their dance bag. We did a poll asking dance students what they found to be lifesavers and narrowed it down to cover health, hygiene, appearance, nutrition, attire and the agenda.
Health
Make sure to pack a small emergency kit in case of headaches, blisters, a fragile ankle or knee or any kind of light pain from rigorous dancing. Some items ideas from our poll are: Advil, Bandaids, an Ace Bandage, gauze, foot tape, Second Skin, Neosporin, rubbing alcohol and aspirin.
Hygiene
You never know when an embarrassing hygiene situation might strike! Imagine you discover your feet are smelling really awful, or your breath is bad and you have to partner… Our top polled items in this category are: anti-fungal foot spray or cream, hand sanitizer, alcohol free astringent w/ Cotton Balls (to keep your skin free of breakouts), mouth wash/Altoids, floss, a small hand towel and last but not least, deodorant.
Appearance
We all want to look our best. Sometimes simple appearance related things can break our concentration such as a loose bun. Take a look at some of the suggestions we gathered: Chapstick, extra hair bands, a portable fold up brush, hair spray, bobbi pins, eyeliner, nail clippers/nail file and a light body spray scent.
Nutrition
All dancers have experienced the disappointment of simply running out of energy during class, an important rehearsal or a dance gig with long hours. Preparation for these times can save you the hassle of missing a lesson or being behind with choreography. Try packing: bottled water, an energy bar, dried fruit, almonds, a banana, Gatoraide and/or pretzels.
Attire
One of the most important aspects of preparation is having the proper dance gear. The dance bag should be equipped with all the tools a dancer needs for all the different styles of dancing and conditions a dancer faces while warming up and while cooled down: pointe shoes, toe pads, lambs wool, soft ballet slippers, jazz shoes, knee pads, taps, modern/lyrical Footundeez, a shrug or light dance sweater, legwarmers and a portable sewing kit.
Agenda
Dancers often overlook this category! The agenda can become quite busy as a working or studying dancer. It’s best to keep the agenda in order so all auditions, classes and rehearsals are attended to. So don’t forget to pack a small notepad and a pen, or a daily planner whether it be paper or electronic. Some cell phones have this function as well. Also, bring your ipod! This is very useful when it comes to going over choreography in between classes.
A prepared dancer is what teachers and choreographers look for; it reflects that the dancer is experienced and professional. Without the proper essentials packed, circumstances could cause a dancer to look really amateur or unprofessional to their superiors. Dancers need to be self sufficient by preventing anything from standing in the way of performing their best.
Think a bad headache, a scheduling blunder, tender skin on your foot, a last minute audition, a deficit of energy in class, smelly feet, a bad hair day or a snapped elastic: each of these things are likely to happen. A dancer needs to be prepared by having the proper remedies in case such things occur.
The dance bag isn’t just a place to dump all your shoes, think of it as an emergency kit. There are dance bags out there with nice little compartments, netting areas for dance shoe ventilation, and bags with enough room to carry these things around neatly. Whether it be an audition, a performance or simply taking class; carrying the proper tools can prevent a disaster from striking at the worst time. Be on point(e) for dance! ;)
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