Top Five Must-Have Items for Convention Weekends

What you pack in your bag for convention weekends can make or break the entire experience.  And what you need for these convention weekends can differ greatly from what it takes to make a dance competition weekend run smoothly.  Making sure you pack these five must have convention essentials can ensure that you and your dancer will have a successful and stress-free event:

1. Comfortable dance clothes that your dancer feels their best in.  Performance gear that allows your dancer to move and breathes while still providing support is key.  Your dancer will look their best if they feel their best in convention classes.  Bring a solid black set of dance wear in the event that there is an audition and opportunity to re-perform combos on stage.  These sometimes requires a solid black bottom and top.
2. Apolla dancer footwear to prevent injury in class and after for recovery.  At conventions, your dancer will likely be taking many classes, back to back, and overuse can often lead to injury. Wearing Apolla dance socks while they take class ensures ankle alignment and support and stability on all your dancers joints. Having your dancer wear pain relieving compression socks, like the Apolla performance, can also encourage more rapid recovery after classes have finished for the day.
3. Proper hydration.  The days are long at dance conventions and without proper hydration, dancers (and parents!) can feel sluggish and unable to perform at their max capacity.  Make sure you’ve packed water bottles that can be refilled in your dancers bag and also consider hydration supplements with vitamins that can be added to your water for additional support!
4. Healthy Meal & Snacks for both you & your dancer.  Chances are you & your dancer will have only a brief break for a meal in between classes.  Lines are long and sometimes options nearby are very limited in these hotels and convention centers where dance conventions take place.  Don’t take a chance on not getting the opportunity fuel your dancers body.  Bring a healthy lunch for both of you- a combination of lean protein and carbs is ideal for ensuring proper energy absorption. Having snacks in your bag as well that can be quickly munched on in between classes are also a good idea.
5. SHOES: Your dancer will have a variety of classes at convention that require an assortment of shoes! Make sure you’ve double checked the class list and loaded their dance bag with everything from their hip hop sneakers to their ballet flats.   Having the proper dance shoes and coordinating Apolla Performance socks gives them the best opportunity for success in their class!  

Happy Convention and Comp Season!