Dance Bag Challenge

I know I'm a little late with this, but it's been crazy busy over here, with taking about 21 hours of dance a week and then teaching 6+ hours a week (my privates run over sometimes and I don't mind at all!).

I was so excited to do this challenge! It was first posted by Wellies and Pears and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to do it! Mine is always completely stuffed and bordering on ridiculous. Not that I'm complaining - I like to be prepared! Be prepared though...it's definitely photo heavy.

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I got my bag last semester after my other bag was just not cutting it. I had the other for about ten years though, so it was a trooper, but just not nearly big enough. This one is plenty big and has a pointe shoe pocket, water bottle pocket, little mesh pocket, plus a little front zipped part with a little mesh part inside it. A downside is that the tightening thing for the water bottle pocket broke right away and the bag is ripping above the pointe shoe pocket. I really need to not pack it so much.

This is the bag I use for my shoes. It's mesh and I've had it for years but because I tend to carry too much, one of the straps is ripping so I'm glad to have finally found a use for it this semester. I really just never got around to getting a mesh pouch for shoes, so I started using this a few weeks ago. It actually works out nicely. In the front zipper, I carry a little sewing kit and tape that I'll admit I never really use, but it's good to have just in case.

Can you believe I actually use almost all of these? This is the contents of my mesh packpack. The pointe shoes on the top left are the ones I'm currently using and actually live in the pointe shoe pocket but I threw them here for this picture. Everything else lives in this mag inside my dance bag. I've got my beloved gel toe pads, and old pretty dead pair of pointe shoes (both Russian Muse), tan jazz shoes, black jazz shoes, 2 pairs of canvas ballet flats, and three different pairs/styles of footies for modern dance. My dance performance classes have plenty of modern dances, so these are a must for me. I don't really use the footies that have the holes for the toes, but they've come in handy when my boyfriend forgets his own. The leather ones are holey and I'm not sure why I still have them in there. I am loving the canvas pair. 

The contents of the little mesh pouch on the dance bag. I usually have my hair down for Dance Performance 2 and sometimes for 1, but need it up for ballet, so I need these. Also, occasionally I've been asked for one if others forget to bring something to stick their hair up, so I'm glad I have so many. The button is from when I saw the show with my boyfriend and it's a favorite of mine so I leave it in sight!

This crap was all in the front zipped pocket. A couple granola bars, a 90 calorie cookie thing, and a case with safety pins and buttons. I took this jewelry off the first day back to Dance Performance 1 this semester, and forgot to take it out. I've had the pointe shoe necklace for years, and got the other two from my boyfriend's mom this past Christmas. It's a music note bracelet, and a dancer necklace. I love them all.

This is the contents of the main part of my dance bag (plus the mesh backpack goes on top of it all before zipping up). Vitamins, pre-workout for Dance Performance 1 when I'm just dead (it's from 4pm-8:45pm twice a week). A water bottle, deodorant, moleskin I never use, two pairs of legwarmers, a sweat towel (green), a stretch band (purple), a wrap skirt for ballet, an extra set of clothes, and various types of tapes (for injuries), and a bandage for when my knee hates me. 

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That's probably a bit much. Haha.

Now on to the questions!

1. What’s in your dance bag and why?
All of the above, because I swear I'll need all of it. I could probably stand to take a few things out though.

2. Where did you get your bag and how long have you been using it?
I got it from a local dance store last semester (Fall 2014) because the one I used for ten years was just too small.

3. Is there anything dance related that you keep in your bag at all times… you know, the essentials?
All o' that! ^

4. Is there anything that you keep in your bag for good luck?
Nope. I'm not superstitious. 

5. If your bag had a name what would it be?
Misty! Because it's tough, but pretty. :)

6. How badly does you bag smell right now?
Haaaaaaa...let's not go there. *throws in some dryer sheets*

7. If there is anything you could change about your bag or its contents, what would it be?
I want one of those spiky balls because they sound luxurious after hours of dance. And I have a heel spur and digging things into my arch feels amazing. Also I wouldn't mind if my bag had more color. Like, maybe PURPLE. Or if it were floral (pastel).

8. Anything else you want to mention?
I now would very much love a Vera Bradley bag. Haha. Beauuutiful!

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Thanks to Wellies and Pears for this challenge! It was fun.

Other blogs I read who have done the challenge:
We Do Ballet
balletandorbust

Click on over and check them out, along with the original!

This Week in Dance...New Students!

So, this week has been interesting. My boyfriend, who I waltz with, has a pinched nerve in his neck, making his arm hurt really bad. I hate seeing him in pain. :sadface: He missed our Dance Performance 2 class on Tuesday and then was back, but limited, on Thursday. I really hope it's better soon. Poor thing. Also, we got a new lift added on, so hopefully we'll be back at it next week.
 

Pointe has been coming along okay. I've been taking ballet for eleven years and pointe for nearly five. But...I could be stronger at pointe. That's why I had decided to take Intermediate Ballet and only wear pointe shoes (at least for barre) this semester. I'm fine with anything with releves on both feet, or two-to-one, but I have a lot of trouble doing releve on just one foot. Like ballones. 

In Dance Performance 1 today, we started the pointe dance for the show. It's actually one I did before. It's a Spanish dance and has a lot of coupe bourrees (I think that's what they're called). I like this dance. It's cute. 

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I had my Adult Ballet (17+ anyways) class today. I got two new students!! That brings my total up to a whopping three for that class. Ha. But they seemed to have fun and they'll be coming back.


I also worked with my Friday lyrical student and added on a new section to Say Something. It had a part that actually didn't work like I'd planned. One thing didn't fill up enough counts so I'm going to have to rework it. Bah. But other than that, that class went really well.


Even more good news...I got another little student back AND her sister. They will be taking class Mondays. All of my younger ones are on Mondays. One of the kids, "Linda" was in the Christmas show but hasn't been back since. She's a little firecracker. She's only seven but has sarcasm like a teenager. But...I like her. Haha. She keeps me on my toes. >.> Apparently, (the studio owner told me) that the grandma of the two girls specifically asked that I be their teacher. I can't be mad at that! haha. She didn't want anyone else to teach her granddaughters. Now if only I can get her to stay quiet during classes!