Picture this…you are in a beautiful competition ballroom, flying from heat to heat and trying to stay looking put together like you just walked out onto the floor for the first time…or in the middle of your favorite waltz, your heel goes through your ballgown…or, in the middle of your rhythm championship, the strap on your dress breaks. What do you do? In this edition of “Dance Tales” we are going to give you a list of everything you need for your emergency dance kit, because being prepared off the floor is just as important as being prepared on it!
There are many things you want to be ready for when walking into the ballroom on the day of competition. Making sure you have everything with you in an emergency dance kit is crucial, as you may not be able to get back to your hotel room between heats. As the saying goes… “always expect the unexpected,” but we’ll be ready! The list is long with questions you should have a solution for! What if your costume malfunctions? What if you get hungry? What if you get a blister? Is your makeup ok? Is your hair still perfect? Are your shoes brushed?
Be sure to find a cute bag to start building your emergency kit, and let’s get started!
- Water or Gatorade (HYDRATE!)
- Snacks (For the munchies)
- Gum or mints (dancing is a close contact sport)
- Jacket or Robe (That ballroom will be cold…stay warmed up when you aren’t dancing!)
- Slippers (nobody wants to wear their dance shoes in the elevator)
- Deodorant (you WILL be sweating!)
- Fashion tape (double sided tape) (for those pesky wardrobe malfunctions)
- Safety pins (just in case the hem falls out or you lose a button)
- Thread and needle kit (be sure it’s the right color!)
- Bobby pins (to finesse your hair)
- Hairspray (to keep yourself together)
- Lipstick (to keep your smile bright!)
- Blotting papers or towel (to keep yourself looking fresh and not sweaty)
- Band-aids (for those pesky blisters or other incidents)
- Shoe brush (to keep your grip on floor)
- Cold pack (to relax your sore muscles)
- Pen & highlighter (to keep track of your scores in the program)
These are just the basics that should be in every dance emergency kit, but each competitor’s needs are different. Some dancers want water & others a Red Bull…some granola bars (or like our staff, CHOCOLATE)…and gentlemen, though you probably don’t need to pack lipstick or double-sided fashion tape in your kits, don’t forget a comb so you can stay looking polished all day! When making your competition kit, cater it to you and your specific likes & “what ifs”!
We look forward to seeing you all back in the competition ballroom very soon!