Ask any professional dancer about their dressing room, and they'll likely refer to it as a home away from home. Stocked with all the essentials and adorned with good-luck charms and photos, dressing rooms are where so many pre- and postshow memories are made. We had three pros—a ballerina, a Broadway dancer, and a dancer on a cruise ship—walk us through the rituals and personalizations that make these spaces their own.
Shelby Patterson—Dancer, Royal Caribbean's "Spectrum of the Seas"
"When I start getting ready, the first thing I do is put on some music, because that always gets the good vibes going—I share the dressing room with four other girls, and we always have a little dance party before the show. After that, I do my makeup, and then it's on to hair. We wear wigs in the show, so the prep is pretty simple. I do two long braids and wrap them around my head and pin them in place. Then, I preset all my costumes and props, and finally give myself a good warm-up so I'm ready to dance full-out. I always put my wig on last because I get a headache if I have it on for too long!"
"I keep most of my makeup stored in my makeup bag. I have my brushes out so they're easy to see, and have my favorite palettes laid out, ready to use."
Shelby Patterson—Dancer, Royal Caribbean's "Spectrum of the Seas"
"I share my table and mirror with my roomie and ship bestie, Amanda, so I want to make sure my things aren't all over the place or messing up her organization either. I try to not have my area cluttered with unnecessary stuff—my rule of thumb is to only have out what I need. I find that when my area's neat and clean, I'm in a better mood while getting ready for my show, rather than frazzled and frustrated."
"I keep a letter that my best friend Jacob wrote for me to open on opening night of my show, as well as a note from my mom from when she came to visit me on the ship. They just warm my heart and remind me of home every time I see them. I find it nice to have little things like that always visible, because being away from home for so many months can be hard at times. I'm so thankful to have so much support from my peers."
Angelica Generosa—Soloist, Pacific Northwest Ballet
"I keep some photos of my friends and cards from my loved ones around to remind me that they're always here with me. I've been wearing my Tiffany & Co. crown necklace, which was a 'merde' gift from one of my closest friends, principal dancer Noelani Pantastico, for when I first debuted as Aurora this season. It's been my little lucky charm."
"I share this dressing room with three other soloist women of PNB—I love being with them. I sit next to one of my closest friends, Elle Macy. We've known each other since we were teenagers. It's super-calm and chill, and we share many laughs before and after shows."
Angelica Generosa—Soloist, Pacific Northwest Ballet
"When I get to the theater, I change into comfy warm-ups and put my hair up so it won't get in the way while I put on my makeup. Sometimes I listen to music (mostly Beyoncé) if I'm alone in the dressing room, or talk to my friends as we get ready together. Before I put my costume on, I warm up by giving myself a barre or stretch a little bit in the dressing room. I also make sure I have the right shoes for the role I'm about to perform. I lay them out next to me so it's easy to see which ones I want to use for the show and save the others for another day."
Angelica Generosa—Soloist, Pacific Northwest Ballet
"The way I organize my spot is with my makeup bag propped up against the wall so I have space to lay all the products out when I do my routine. Above the lights I put my primer, foundation sponge, and foundation next to each other because those three elements are always the first step of my makeup routine. Next to that are my hair pins, stage earrings and jewelry, and my face wash. I store all my makeup brushes in a zipper compartment of my makeup bag to keep things clean and organized. Right next to my makeup bag are some extra paper towels that I use as toe pads. My hair supplies are to the left of the paper towels."
"I love keeping things in order and clean so that I know where everything is. When I'm stressed, an organized space calms me down and makes my routine that much easier."
Rachel Schur—Annie/Roxie understudy, "Chicago" on Broadway
"I share a room with other dancers and the Mama Morton in the show. It's important to be respectful of everyone's space and prep routines before a show because everyone's different. We do a great job at that. Sometimes it's a rainy day and we want some quiet to center ourselves, and other times it's a two-show day and we need some fun music to get us going. Understanding the energy of the room is super-important."
"I love music. I have a Bluetooth speaker and play different genres to pump myself up. It's fun to get everyone involved. We play throwbacks, today's hits, and everything in between. It can turn into a mini dance party sometimes, which is a great way to get your energy up!"
Rachel Schur—Annie/Roxie understudy, "Chicago" on Broadway
"If I'm organized with my makeup and hair routine, it makes for an easier prep for the show. I use lots of little organizers for makeup brushes, eye pencils, and lipsticks. I like to organize by what each product does, so I put all of my eyeliner/brow pencils/lip pencils in one compartment, face products in another, eyes in another, and so forth."
"Organization can calm your nerves and center your energy before a show. I believe consistency in your work and your prep leads to consistency onstage. Live theater always has surprises, so the more you can maintain balance offstage, the more prepared you are for whatever comes your way."
Rachel Schur—Annie/Roxie understudy, "Chicago" on Broadway
"I like to have little pictures of all of my friends and family around. Broadway schedules usually don't allow for you to see your family that often on holidays and other life events, so it's nice for me to have reminders of my support system and how far I've come. I also have a fun parting gift from my friend Natalie Gallo, which she gave me when I left Jersey Boys. She knows I love Britney Spears, so she put my Cell Block monologue on a Britney candle!"