What’s In Your Bag: Amelia Neumann

Bridget Nauman

More stories from Bridget Nauman

Chanting New Traditions
January 24, 2020
Whats+In+Your+Bag%3A+Amelia+Neumann

Every sport requires a variety of equipment and bags. Dance is an intense sport that needs multiple types of shoes, hair supplies and more for the athlete to be successful. Senior dance captain Amelia Neumann fills her dance bag with many different types of items for all of her needs.

“In my bag, I have lots of different shoes,” Neumann said. “Tap shoes, jazz shoes, ballet shoes, pointe shoes, turners, character shoes and gym shoes.”

Dance requires several shoes for each of the styles of dancing. The type of shoe that dancers wear can also depend on the surface they are dancing on. Many dancers take multiple dance classes a day which forces them to change into all different kinds of footwear.

“I also have an enormous amount of hair supplies,” Neumann said. “Ponytail holders, bobby pins, hairspray and a brush are all necessary.”

Dancer’s hair requires lots of work and supplies. There are diverse hairstyles that match each dance they perform. Dancers need to keep their hair out of their faces and they always need to look professional.

“I always have a muscle roller, ibuprofen and icy hot,” Neumann said. “I also always keep a knee and ankle brace with me.”

Dancers constantly test the limits of their legs and bodies and this causes soreness and injuries. In order to keep soreness in control and perform to their best ability, dancers have to roll out their muscles and keep them loose.

Dance bags tend to be very packed with all the individual types of equipment they need, but everything is extremely important. This is just some of what Neumann keeps in her dance bag on a daily basis.