Something that is and always will be essential to a dancer is their bag. Especially around recital time! Every dancer should have something to carry all their stuff in to help keep them organized, and optimize their ability to be successful. Though every dancer needs one what is in their bag varies given their ages, how many class they take, and what styles they take throughout the week.

Below we are going to list off something’s we as teacher kept in our dance bag to help us be prepared for a day full of dancing! 

1. Dance Shoes 🩰 

Dance shoes, though vital to class tend to be the most forgotten items. Keeping your shoes in your bag will limit the opportunity for them to be left behind. Dancing without shoes can make class harder, and especially for the younger dancers make them feel like they aren’t dressed the part. 

2. Extra Clothes 👗

Always having extra dance clothes, especially tights will  be beneficial for your dancer. Just in case they forget dance attire while getting ready for their day they already some waiting for them in their bag. Sometimes a leotard breaks or tights get ripped, and if you keep an extra pair on hand you will always be prepared. Or for our smaller dancers accidents do happen, and having those extra things can help them get right back to it! 

3. Hair Products 💇‍♀️

Your dancers hair NEEDS to be out of their face for class, and sometimes it’s hard to get hair done in transition from school to dance class. When there is no time to run home for your hair products having them already in your bag will same you time and headache. 

4. Water Bottle 💦

Water is essential for dancers. They are working up a sweat! They should be taking small sips throughout your classes, rehearsals, and performances. Drinking 5-15 minutes before class is also recommended, in addition to fluid during dance activity and recovery. Fluid intake plays an important part in a dancer’s pre-exercise, exercise, and post-exercise.

5. A small (non-messy snack) 🥨

We are getting busier and busier as people..and sometimes we don’t have enough time for full meals before we come to class or in-between classes. It is alway smart to keep something in your bag to snack on while your are en route to class from school, or to quickly nibble on in-between classes if you are taking multiple in a day. 

6. Foam Rollers/Tennis Balls 🎾

Dancing is hard-work and can result is sore or stiff muscles. Which is why we recommend you carry these 2 things in your bag. A foam roller is great for working out your large muscles or simply cracking your back. Tennis balls are great for the small spots that need extra special attention. As well as loosen up the arches of your feet before and after a full dance day. 

There is much more a dancer can add to their bag to ease the path to success. 

All items that go into a dance bag are different and specific to each individual dancer, but these things we listed are simple additions that could be found in any dancers bag.  

 

Fun Activities To Do Over Spring Break



MOVES IN BLOOM
This activity is inspired by flowers in BLOOM. The objective of this game is to help students build confidence and creative expression, while counting the music and following directions.

BASIC GAME PLAY:

  • All dancers start on the ground in a squared position, ideally in a shape that resembles a seed. For 8 counts, the dancers will “bloom” as they move from floor to standing while you count to 8.
    (They will understanding practice an 8 count. 8 is the magic number of dance. 8 is great, and great is 8!)
  • Afterward, pause their blooming. Then, begin counting to 8 again, and tell them to “melt” back into their starting position, as if they’ve become a “wilted” flower.

HOW TO MAKE IT EXTRA:

  • Allow the dancers to practice this several times, then add layers of complexity such as:
    • Take 8 counts to bloom, then 8 to wilt down just to mid level before being infused with sunlight and blooming to the highest level again. 
    • Take 8 counts to bloom just to the mid level, before drying up from lack of rain and wilting back down to the low level for 8 counts. 
    • Take 8 counts to bloom, but instead of pausing in stillness on the high level, the dancers are blown from side to side by a gust of wind!
    • Take 8 counts work their creativity to root down to the earth, they could even begin as a fully blossomed flower.
    • Grow and wilt just as a stem, without using your arms because your flowers did not bloom. 

 

 

BUILD A OBSTACLE COURSE

The whole point is to get the kids engaged and to wear them out, so involve them in as much building of the course as possible, with you supervising for safety. Even the littlest competitors can get involved in the building stage by stacking pillows, lining up baskets, or sorting balls. Involving the kids in constructing the course gives them a sense of accomplishment and builds a storyline in their head—adding an element of imaginative play to the activity.

SAFETY FIRST: Keep safety as the top priority. To do this, make good use of cushions, yoga mats, and blankets as much as you can. And be sure to move sharp corners and breakable items out of the way.

Ideas for your obstacle course:

    • Balance Beam. A basic 2 x 4 on the floor makes for a perfect balance beam, as does a rolled up area rug. But if you’re short on space, even just a strip of painter’s tape can give kids the challenge of maintaining their balance, or a simple piece of string.
    • Tunnels. Tunnels are a major stop on any respectable obstacle course. If you don’t have a kids’ tunnel, fear not! They can easily be made by lining up a row of chairs for your child to crawl through. 
    • Sack Races. If your kids are bouncing off the walls, give them a pillow case or a sleeping bag and hop across a room or down a hallway.
    • The Floor is Hot Lava! Line up cushions, yoga blocks, or even pieces of construction paper and have kids hop from one to the next—avoiding the “lava” AKA floor. Adding a storyline to obstacle courses increases the fun.

There are many ways to make an obstacle course, and your tiny humans probably are full of creative ideas to add to the magic!

 

 

HAVE A FAMILY DANCE PARTY

This one is super duper simple! All it takes is music & and your family. You can keep it simple or add extra razzle dazzle.

HOW TO MAKE IT EXTRA:

    • ADD A THEME. The easiest way to add razzle dazzle is simply making it a themed affair!
    • PLAYLIST. No matter what music is must, but you can create one special for family dance parties. This is where how to make your theme really stand out. For a tried and true list, try adding each family member’s favorites songs to the list, adding a bit joy for everyone.
    • DECORATIONS. While this isn’t a necessity, it does make for more of a fun experience. On top of it adding to the ambiance this is a perfect opportunity to get crafty with your kids.
    • SNACKS. If you add a theme to your family dance parties you can work together to make themed snacks for your mini party, together!

 

We hope you enjoy these ideas and will give them a try!

 

 

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In 2023 we want to take time to recognize all the wonderful people that make this studio possible. We have an amazing staff with qualifications out of the roof… but they are more than just dancers and educators. So for the next couple of weeks, we will be getting to know the humans behind the teacher, and their little fun facts. 

This week we are diving into the little details of Miss Reyana! 

If you know Miss Reyana you know she is a person who lives in a world full of color. Everything she touches is brought to life with sparkle✨. You can tell she navigates through a kaleidoscope lens when you step into her studio👯‍♀️! Even though she loves all the colors in the rainbow she does hold one color high above the rest. What is that special color you ask? FUCHSIA 💕

Just like her Miss Reyana loves to enjoy something sweet. When it comes to favorite foods she loves to enjoy a delicious ice cream cone🍦. Can we blame her though? Who doesn’t love a sweet treat. Especially living in Los Angeles🌴 it’s perfect for anytime of the year🗓.

For everyone here music is engraved in our lives like no other. It’s a big part of our job. With that sometimes it makes it hard to pick just one. But when we asked Miss Reyana she knew right away which song has stole her heart ❤️ . ‘Rhiannon’ By Fleetwood Mac☁️ is a solid choice. We don’t know anyone who doesn’t love this classic🎹.

When it comes to favorite artist it was a little bit hard for her to choose on this matter. There is simply too many to count🔄. Miss Reyana’s first love was music 🎶 (and dance) growing up. So answering this question felt impossible to her 🤷‍♀️.

We are made of memories☁️, and as we grow older we become a product of all the things we have experienced along the way. Some memories stick out more than others💬. When it comes to Miss Reyana she looks back and favors summers on the lake with her family, in South Texas where she was raised ☀️.

Even though everyone here is an amazing dancer our teachers are much more than that. Outside of the studio, Miss Reyana loves to travel✈️, visit Disneyland🎡, and experience live music🎵…but most often she can be found playing records she’s collected. Working on crafts🎨, puzzles🧩 , playing board games♟, or watching F1🏎️ with her hubby.

Our teachers here at Reach For the Barres are fountains of knowledge⛲️. They are people who are full of amazing advice. What Miss Reyana would like to pass on to the students here is “Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine”💕

These are just a few of the things that make Miss Reyana so special! 

, , ,

In 2023 we want to take time to recognize all the wonderful people that make this studio possible. We have an amazing staff with qualifications out of the roof… but they are more than just dancers and educators. So for the next couple of weeks, we will be getting to know the humans behind the teacher, and their little fun facts. 

This week we are diving into the little details of Miss Leighanna! 

There are many colors of the rainbow. Some shine bright like the sun, and some are as dark as night.. but they are all special to someone. The color that caught the eye of Miss Leighanna PERIWINKLE🦄! It’s a soft a cozy color that makes of think of all things good. We completely understand why this color holds a special place in her heart❤️.

When it comes to food Miss Leighanna loves  SWEET POTATOES🍠 . In any shape, way, or form she will take it. You can never go wrong with this super yummy food. It’s versatile like regular potatoes but it’s got a twist! 🌪

Miss Leighanna is a lover of all things music🎵. There is no way she could go a day without it. Her life is full of it. When we asked what her favorite song was she thought long an hard. Leighanna went back a forth and came to the conclusion that she simply couldn’t pick just 1️⃣.

When it comes to favorite artist it was a little bit easier for her to choose on this matter. Though she did take a little time to think over all her options one artist stuck out more than the rest. When in doubt Miss Leighanna will always be a fan of Kendrick Lamar!

We are made of memories☁️, and as we grow older we become a product of all the things we have experienced along the way. Some memories stick out more than others💬. She looks back fondly on Disney🪄 trips she took as a kid. But of course she couldn’t look past all her days spent taking dance class🩰 as she grew up. 

Even though everyone here is an amazing dancer our teachers are much more than that. Outside of the studio, Miss Leighanna loves to travel✈️. Seeing the world is something she finds is one of the best ways to spend your life. On top of that she loves photography📷, and we gotta say she is pretty great at it to! Last and certainly not least she loves to visit Disneyland🪄on her days off!

Possessions can come in many different shapes or forms. Some things are tangible that we can hold in our hand, and others are things like time spent. When it comes to things that are extra special to this teacher of the week she keeps her photo albums of her and her family🖼 in a safe place.

Our teachers here at Reach For the Barres are fountains of knowledge⛲️. They are people who are full of amazing advice. What Miss Maraya would like to pass on to the students here is “Always lead with you heart”💕

These are just a few of the things that make Miss Leighanna  so special!