Dance Bag Challenge! Mommy Edition.

Last week, Wellies and Pearls got herself a new dance bag and issued the “Dance Bag Challenge” to fellow adult ballet bloggers.

Never one to turn down a challenge (and knowing any event that forces us to empty our bags occasionally is a good thing etc.) BoyMowgli (his is coming) and I dumped our crap on the living room floor and cataloged the contents.

 
1. What’s in your dance bag and why?

Too much! I guess because I’m kind of a pack rat.

• Shoe bag
  • 2 pair of slippers: the SoDanca stretch canvas pair I actually wear, and a Grisko pair I used to wear and keep in case of emergencies (what kind of emergency am I anticipating?)
  • 2 pair of pointe shoes: A newish pair and a very broken in, but not quite dead pair. I wear the harder ones, but like to have a soft pair to switch to in case my feet are complaining… or for jumps.
  • 2 sets of Skinny Dips toe pads… they break down quickly so I need extra.
  • Silicone toe spacers.
  • Paper first aid tape for taping my middle three toes. (I don’t get blisters, tape or no, but I did when I was a kid, and I got used to the tape. I like the feeling and it’s part of getting ready).
•  Warm-ups: A couple lengths of black knit legwarmers, black knit shorts, grey and black fleece overalls.
• Emergency dance clothes
• Arnica Gel, because it feels cool and good on tired parts. Tiger Balm, because it feels hot and good on hurty parts. Bright print bandaids, because I’m a mom. Neoprene ankle wrap, because it bes that way sometimes… I don’t dance in it, just put in on to stay all warm and supported. Hand sanitizer, nail clippers, toe stretcher/relaxer thing, spiky ball… for their usual purposes.
• All kinds of toiletries in the hidden under compartment including extra contacts… so I can see.

2. Where did you get your bag and how long have you been using it?

I got it from Discount Dance Supply. It was cheap, like under $15 I think. I’ve had it about a year. I had a turquoise one like it before but it started looking grosso and the zipper got unreliable. The black one’s been holding up pretty well, though I try not to overstuff it as often.
3. Is there anything dance related that you keep in your bag at all times… you know, the essentials?

Most of that crap lives in the bag all the time unless I’m actually in class. There’s always an extra leo and tights in the bottom just in case.
4. Is there anything that you keep in your bag for good luck?

I’m too disorganized to be superstitious. I just read an interview with Julie Kent in which she said  something similar (not about her own disorganization… I don’t believe she’s disorganized) about superstitious luck stuff being so energy consuming, and not wanting to have to remember all that stuff. I figure, if you can get to be Julie Kent without “lucky” stuff, I should be okay in adult recreational ballet.

Bonus questions:
5. If your bag had a name what would it be?

Oh no! What’s the name of the dude in The Pit and the Pendulum? Seriously, no clue.
6. How badly does you bag smell right now?

I don’t dislike the smell, but it definitely has one. Smells like shoe paste and granola bars.
7. If there is anything you could change about your bag or its contents, what would it be?

About half the stuff in there I don’t use regularly. I wish I could find it in myself to leave some of it at home.
8. Anything else you want to mention?

I also normally have a massage roller and a pair of down booties in there… where are they?

Well there you have it! BoyMowgli needs to finish giving his responses on his post… so he may miss the March 30 deadline… let’s forgive him though, he has a bedtime.