Packing Your Performance Bag

By Michelle

After years of performing, I think I've finally got my performance bag down to a minimum weight with maximum preparedness for any fiasco. Wishing I'd had someone prepare me years ago, I thought I'd share the contents of my tote.

The Bag:

I use a rolling duffel bag with the collapsible handle. (Bless the inventor!) This enables you to make it across a huge parking lot without pulling a muscle, rumpling your costume, or causing red marks on your shoulder from a strap biting into your skin. The duffel has a U shaped top so I can easily get big things in and out. The duffel is also a little longer than most carry-on suitcases, allowing easy toting of sword or cane. I like my bag because it only has one additional end pocket. I tried a bag that had one hundred pockets and could never remember in which pocket I'd put my music/zils/jewelry.

The Costume:

Unless the performance is close and if I'm not having to set up lights/sound/camera/etc, I usually change at the site. I have a good friend who costumes at home regardless of how far she has to travel because she's terrified of forgetting something, but it's just not worth the wear and wrinkles on your costume to do this (besides, I'm giving you your list right here, so you'll never forget anything!) I store all my bra and belt sets in round hat boxes which just fit into the duffel bag. These boxes protect your costume and make for easy storage in the top of your closet. (Martha Stewart student that I am, I've also labeled the boxes so I can grab the right one in a hurry). Unless the skirt is very easily wrinkled (like silk), I will wrap my skirt in my cotton cover up, then gently fold it in half and lay on top of the hat box. If I have to avoid any crunching, I hang it on skirt hangers and use my cover up as a garment bag, (although the first method really prevents most wrinkles and leaves your other hand free).

Jewelry:

I NEVER take all my jewelry with me and then decide what I'm going to wear (even for tribal). You may not either, but I know plenty of dancers who do. Can you say confusion in the dressing room? And what if, heaven forbid, your bag was stolen? Would you want to lose all your good pieces? Plan ahead what you'll need. I usually carry the necessary jewelry in a ziplock bag and place it in the hat box. Cloth jewelry bags are good too, but you can see through plastic making it easy to see what you're pulling out first. Makeup: Yes, it's expensive, but I have an entirely separate set of makeup for stage than I do for everyday wear. You need stronger, bolder colors anyway for performing so there's really no use for subtle street-wear makeup. I have a good size makeup bag. Note: good size, not huge. None of the Grace Kelly hard square fold-out suitcases-too heavy and takes up too much room! Inside the bag, I have smaller bags-one for bindis, glue on body jewels, temporary tatoos; one for eye makeup; one for lip stuff. Blush, powder, and foundation are large enough to find on their own in the bottom of the bag. I generally do my makeup at home just because the light is never good in whatever corner I'm using for a dressing room, but I always take the makeup for emergency touch ups. One exception-I never put on lipstick until just before I perform. Instead I put on lip conditioner when I do my makeup at home. That way, my lips will take the lipstick smoothly after I'm costumed. The makeup bag just fits next to the hat box (under the skirt). I found a great little fold up brush that has a mirror in the handle.

Veils:

I usually use silk veils and have found the best way to transport veils with minimal wrinkling is in a large ziplock bag (yes, bless that inventor, too). Gently fold the veil and slip it into the bag, then close the bag, but do not press all of the air out. The bag should then slip into your duffel, on top of the skirt and will come out relatively smooth (it is silk, after all!).

Zils, Music, Accessories:

Zils are in their own small bag and are in the one and only extra duffel pouch along with my tape or CD. In case your instructor hasn't beat this into your brain yet, your performance tape/CD should ONLY have your performance music on it. You're asking for an eventual disaster if you hand the music person an artist's CD and ask for track 7 followed by track 4. If dancing at a party or restaurant, I will usually take a second set in case the need arises. DO NOT take your whole CD collection and then coyly decide what you're going to dance to when you get there. No one is impressed and see note above about taking all your jewelry. Swords should be carried in sheaths and should slide into the duffel bag, even if the handle pokes out at the top. Same with canes. I leave a business card carrier in my duffel and try to have a ready stock of class fliers at the bottom also. (You can often set business cards or fliers at the ticket table.)

Emergency Kit:

One of my troupe members gave everyone handmaid velvet pouches with a dancer's first aid stuff inside. What a great gift that was! The kit includes: Safety Pins from small to large (third and most fervent blessing for this inventor!); extra eyelashes and glue; band aids; a mini sewing kit complete with scissors; a comb; and hair clips. To this I've added Altoids (for pre-show nervous dry mouth which I still get after 10 years!); eye drops; and a back up tape of my music. This small bag fits into the same pouch with zils and music. Easy to find in a hurry. I try to take a minimal purse-not my usual carry-it-all, but just a small bag that will then fit into the duffel bag. This way you have one and only one bag to keep track of and stash. If I dress at the performance site, I'll usually undress there too and things like the ziplock bags and hat box make for quick, tidy pack up so everything fits back into the performance bag. You should look as professional leaving the site as you did entering. Having what is necessary, but having ONLY what is necessary will ensure that you will walk on stage well-dressed, well made up and ready to devote yourself to your real assignment: Dancing!

Farfesha Belly Dance © 2004