What a dancer carries with him is the most essential aspect.
Think of 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 to all of us. A dancer needs to be prepared by having proper remedies in such cases.
Real dancer is one who expresses feeling and emotions through their movements, completely care free and relaxed about the surroundings and themselves. While we are into the dance we must not forget that to bring us on to the dance floor all prepared, we need to get ready and therefore must know what we should carry with us in our bag. Every dancer needs to make sure they are fully 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.
I have specially compiled a list of the most important things a dancer should have in their dance bag. I conducted a poll asking hundreds of my students from all over India. I asked 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: Pain killer tablet, Bandaids, foot tape, Second Skin, Neosporin.
Hygiene
You never know when an embarrassing hygiene situation might strike! Especially in a crowded dance class. Imagine you discover your feet are smelling or excessive sweating has made you smell really awful, or your breath is bad and you have a partner to dance with. Our top polled items in this category are: anti-fungal foot spray or cream, hand sanitizer, mouthwash /tooth brush and paste, a hand towel and last but not least, good very strong deodorant and perfume.
Appearance
We all want to look our best when we dance. Sometimes simple appearance related things can break our concentration such as a loose bun. Take a look at some of the suggestions my students gave me: Chapstick, a portable fold up brush, hair pins, rubberbands, safety pins, light make up for girls and a set of extra clothes for changing.
Nutrition
All students experience the disappointment of simply running out of energy during a dance 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: lots of bottled water (especially during the summer season), an energy bar, dried fruits, fresh fruits like a banana and high energy biscuits.
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: appropriate dance shoes, shoe polish, shoes brush, toe pads, cotton wool, soft ballet slippers, knee pads, 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 the 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 is on a paper or electronic (Some cell phones have this function as well) Also, bring your ipod!
A fully prepared dancer is what a teacher and choreographer look for; it reflects that the dancer is interested, 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.
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.
Artscape By Sandip Soparrkar
