This year marks 19 years of performing professionally. After nearly two decades of dancing, teaching, traveling, producing events, packing costumes, unpacking costumes, and occasionally wondering why I own so many rhinestones, I thought I would celebrate by sharing 19 things that have been valuable along my journey that I hope will bring value to your life as well.
These aren’t trendy purchases or things I bought because someone on social media told me to. These are items I use regularly and recommend because they’ve earned their place in my life.
If you’re a performer, traveler, business owner, or just someone who appreciates products that solve problems, here are my top 19 (with a bonus recommendation at the end).
1. Organic Cold-Pressed Castor Oil
We’ll start with beauty. A little castor oil goes a long way for keeping my skin, eyebrows, and nails feeling nourished, day after day. This is a natural remedy and takes time to really kick in, but one thing you’ll notice right away is that despite feeling very oily and heavy on the skin, it DOES absorb fully and you wake up with moist skin, not dryness. It’s also known for helping reduce inflammation, scars, acne, etc. I apply it to my lips, face, eyebrows, and nails at night, and it’s done wonders. I have combination skin, so I don’t apply any in my T zone, and I’m set.
2. Gel Knee Pads
My knees have worked hard for 19 years. Whether I’m rehearsing, teaching, drilling technique, or performing on less-than-ideal surfaces, gel knee pads have helped me protect my body while still doing what I love.
Your future self will thank you.
3. A Good Vanity Setup
Good lighting changes everything. Whether I’m preparing for a show, filming content, or getting ready for an event, having a dedicated vanity space helps me stay organized and keeps the getting-ready process fun and inspiring for me personally. I love organization, so a vanity was a MUST for me early on.
4. Garment Bags with Netted Pockets
This may be one of the most underrated performer items ever. The netted pockets keep props, shoes, accessories, and costume pieces organized instead of floating around a suitcase. It’s lightweight and doubles as something to cover your purse with while performing in unfamiliar venues.
5. High-Quality Planner
My planner is basically my second brain. Between performances, classes, events, travel, meetings, and regular life responsibilities, I need everything written down somewhere. If it’s not in the planner, it doesn’t exist. That’s a hard rule I follow.
6. Adjustable Dumbbells, Wrist Weights & Ankle Weights
Strength training has become increasingly important as my career has evolved. I love equipment that doesn’t take up a ton of space but still allows me to build and maintain strength at home. Strong dancers are resilient dancers.
7. My Fitbit
I originally got it to track activity. Now I use it for everything. Sleep tracking, heart rate, movement reminders, workouts, period tracking—it’s become one of those tools I don’t think much about until I forget to wear it.
I feel super accomplished when I complete a dance workshop or weekend intensive and see how much I burned while having fun.
Mine is not the latest model anymore, most likely, but the idea is the same: a fitness tracker is awesome!
8. Tumlber with Built-In Speaker
Hydration and music? Honestly, whoever invented this understood performers. Whether I’m rehearsing, teaching, stretching, or getting ready backstage, this little combination keeps me hydrated and entertained.
I can transform any space I am in into a rehearsal area. This has changed the way I approach practice…it can be anywhere. Not just a dedicated dance space.
I got this as a gift, and when I searched for this online, the only place I saw this offered is on eBay currently.
9. A Jewelry Organizer
I used to have a bunch of jewelry organizers for each jewelry category. It would take up space on surfaces and closet, and finally, everything fits in one product. It has a cute mirror and LED light inside and a full-length mirror on the cover to check out the look. This has seriously been such a great purchase. I can’t recommend it enough. There is a key, too, if you want to lock it. Frankly, it’s very pretty. I feel like I have a minny store I am “shopping” through when choosing my jewelry every day.
10. Sewing Kit
Every performer eventually becomes at least a little bit of a costume repair specialist. Missing beads, broken hooks, loose straps, popped seams—I have seen it all. A sewing kit is a must! It should include a professional thread nipper, a spool of thread, a small case of needles, a strand of stick-on velcro, and additional snaps and hooks.
11. Sewing Machines
Not only do I recommend owning a sewing machine, but I also highly recommend learning how to use one. The ability to alter costumes, make quick repairs, or customize pieces has saved me so much money (nothing fits off the rack on my body) and given me far more creative freedom.
I personally have my Husqvarna Emerald that has lasted me so many years.
12. External Hard Drives
I am a huge believer in owning your files. Photos, videos, performance footage, contracts, marketing materials, and music all deserve proper backups. I use the cloud for very specific things. All else is on my external hard drive.
Trust me on this one. Just make sure you always take care of it and upgrade every 5 years or so.
I only use ones with super-fast speeds because time is precious.
13. Applications: Music, Audacity & Music Conversion Software
One of the best business decisions I’ve made is maintaining organized copies of my music and learning basic editing skills. Being able to trim, edit, convert, and organize performance music has been invaluable throughout my career. I recommend the following applications be on your desktop or laptop at all times.
14. Knit Rapper Robes
Robes make getting ready easier and add comfort after long event days.
What Robes do I recommend and have an entire drawer of? Line Donatella, Linea Donatella, Linea Donatella….need I say more? The knit fabric style is soft, long-lasting, won’t pill, and is a kimono style, so it won’t leave you hanging out if you need to move quickly. There are so many cute prints, and these are so long-lasting. Seriously. Worth every penny.
15. Waterproof Backpack
THIS is another simple yet huge convenience. I like to be as hands-free as possible when transporting performance needs to and from venues and back home. Less chance of things getting lost, forgetting something, and it’s easier on the back than lugging a bunch of stuff around.
I swear by my Clavin Klein waterproof backpack. Lots of pockets (and even a hidden pocket ), sleek, comfortable, machine washable, and holds all the small things my garment bag doesn’t. My backpack often has a pressure point ball, contract, all wires and cables, lipstick, and liner to reapply if needed, extra jewelry, cards, travel fan, and any other small item I need with me to get ready for my show.
I got mine at TJ Maxx Years ago. Cost like $75 if I remember correctly.
16. Travel Poo-Pourri
Listen. We’re all adults here. If you travel frequently, perform at events, stay in hotels, share accommodations, or spend weekends at dance festivals, you understand why this made the list.
This is super small, so it fits in every bag (always in my bookbag), and is so easy to transport everywhere.
17. Hair Removal Device
One of those purchases that costs more upfront but saves time and money in the long run. For someone who performs regularly, convenience matters, and not having dark underarms, etc., is something I care about, personally.
Since I have a more difficult skin tone for laser hair removal treatments (caramel tone), it took 4 months to kick in and start working, but once it did, I literally shave once a month. I spent thousands in my early twenties getting laser hair removal, and it came back after 5 years. Now with this, it’s saving me time (no laser hair removal appointment trips), it’s super easy to do at home, and it actually works. You just have to be patient.
I have the Braun 5, but nowadays they are up to Braun 7!
18. Magnetic Suction Mirror Device & Magnetic Phone Case
I’m grouping these together because they both solve surprisingly similar problems.
The magnetic mirror sticks almost anywhere when I need to record a piece I am working on, pictures after rehearsals with the gals, or at workshops, and my magnetic phone case has made filming content, navigating travel days, and hands-free setup infinitely easier. I don’t know why I didn’t have this sooner!
19. Purse Fan
The final item on the list is small but mighty. Florida is hot. Dancing for 25-30 minutes…I SWEAT more than most. While this tiny fan isn’t the mightiest (not good for hot flashes), it is perfect for a little something when you are trying to cool off a little faster between shows or after a workshop.
This purse fan has earned permanent residency in my bookbag and has rescued me more times than I can count when I just needed a little extra comfort.
I got mine at my local CVS store.
BONUS: Rifle Case For Props
I like efficiency, treating props with care and respect, and adding a little superficial “security” as a 5’ 2” working dancer. The rifle case has always been my go-to for carrying my props. It conceals it from party guests when I enter the venue, and has padding to protect my sword, wings, assya, etc. They all fit in the one rifle case, so it makes prop switching at the last minute due to weather or specific ceiling clearances easy.
