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Dance Team Competition Must Haves

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I’ve cracked the code to success at a dance competition. Here are all the must haves!
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Dance Competition Bag

A good bag is the basis for a smooth competition day. These are some of the best out there. Beyond this, it is completely personal preference and budget.

 
Amy Rudisell profile picture
This is the OG and the bag you will see everywhere at a competition.
Glam'r Gear Mobile Changing Station™ Dance Duffel Bag with Built-In uHide® Rack
 
Amy Rudisell profile picture
I love the Rac N Roll. The built in rack for costumes is so sturdy and the 360 wheels make it super easy for my daughter to push around.
Rac N Roll Built-in Dance Bags
 
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The Dream Duffel is probably my favorite of the bunch. It holds so much more than we actually need, which gives plenty of room to grow.
Black Dream Duffel® - Large
 
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Not every competition requires a massive bag. This is a great bag to take for solo/dou/trio competitions and out of town competitions where you aren't taking every single item with you.
Mavii Dance Bag with Garment Rack, 22" Carry-on
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Amy Rudisell profile picture
This was my daughter's first dance competition bag. We wanted to make sure we had a good quality bag but didn't want to spend an arm and a leg if she wasn't sticking with competition dance. This gave us everything we wanted for a fraction of the cost...
28" Dance Bag with Garment Rack & Curtain
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A common alternative to the bag with a rack is a Hulken bag. I see these more for girls in a lot of dances with tiny costumes. The wheels make for an easy transport and they don't take up much room at all in the dressing room. They also make for grea...
HULKEN Large Black Reusable Grocery Bag
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I have only seen this in person a couple of times. But I will say this bag holds just as much as some of the others in a more upright option, which is great for crowded dressing rooms.
Dance Tower 3.0

Dance Bag Organization

The ultimate question is how to organize dance costumes in the bag. These are what we have tried or what has worked for us!

 
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Keeping cosutmes protected and organized is a great debate and truly trial and error. These hard shell cases are used for smaller costumes, keeping the bag generally organized, and in the Hulken method for competitions. I love using these in whatever...
YQBRAO Clear Hard Shell Zipper Cases, 4 Pack
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Amy Rudisell profile picture
Even if you don't have the Dream Duffel bag, these are the best cosume bags I have found. They don't hang too far down so you can still access what is inside the bag, while holding all the accessories for each dance.
Clear Garment Bags 3-Pack, Gusseted, 24x18x2
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I saw this idea on TikTok and fell in love! We use these for smaller costumes that we still want to hang. They save so much space in our bag while keeping the costumes and accessories safe!
Multi-purpose Clear PVC Organizer Bag 6-pack
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We use these when using the small bags to hang costumes. They save so much space!
Lamitocs Pink Pants & Skirt Hangers, 10 Pack
 
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These are a favorite hanger of ours for when the costumes are in the garment bags.
Amazon Basics Velvet Non-Slip Skirt Hangers, 24-Pack
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A pop up hamper is my favorite hack! They make quick changes so easy. Just throw everything in the hamper and we can work out putting them away when we have the time. Or drag it to the car and deal with it at home. Either way saves so much time on co...
Handy Laundry Pop Up Laundry Hamper 71L Sturdy Collapsible Mesh (White) | Breathable Foldable Laundry Basket with Reinforced Handles, Side Pocket, Wide Opening for Dorm, Travel, Bedroom
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We created a dancer emergency kit with quick grab bandaids, medicines, extra earrings, and all the little things that could be needed at a moments notice. We hang this on the end of my daughters station for the whole team to use as needed.
DIOMMELL Hanging Jewelry Organizer 47 Pockets
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A great bag for snacks that don't fit in the snackle box.
Chenille Letter Clear Snack & Makeup Bag
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Dance Bag Extras

Extra comforts to add to your dance bag!

 
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Perfect to hang on the end of your station for last minute costume checks.
Foldable Portable Full Length Mirror 32in
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Those dressing rooms are hot! We keep a fan in our competition bag to keep our dancer cool leading up to call time.
SWEETFULL Mini Rechargeable Handheld Fan
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Keeping everything organized is essential. We keep my daughters shoes in this bag to easily make the switch between the practice bag and the competition bag. It also hangs which makes things super convenient.
Dance Shoe Bag with 4 Mesh Pockets, Hook, Foldable
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A good bag is essential for long dance practice days. This is the bag we have for my daughter to hold all of her things.
Nfinity Sparkle Cheer Lightweight Backpack
 
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A good makeup bag is key! This one protects everything my daughter needs and gives her a lighted area for quick touch ups throughout the day.
Fanwoli Makeup Bag with Detachable 4K LED Mirror
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This isn’t a need but it makes it so easy to find your bag in a crowded dressing room.
Duffle Bag Name Topper ( NAME & BASE Onl
 
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This is one of those niche items you don't know you are missing until someone tells you that you are. This stool opens and collapses to save space in the competition bag. And it saves moms back when applying and touching up makeup or changing hairsty...
Collapsible Camping Stool with Cushion & Bag
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We keep a rug in our dance bag to spread out on the floor to give my daughter a clean space to sit and claim her own floor space in the dressing room.
JarThenaAMCS Lime Green Bathroom Rug 19.7x31.5
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We keep a power bank in our competition day bag. The days can be long and phones die quick!
VRURC Portable Charger Slim Power Bank 4 Cables
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We keep a small speaker in our dance bag so our girls can practice their routines before going on stage.
JBL Go 5 Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
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You never know where an outlet is going to be when you go into the dressing room. A massive extension cord is key to success!
TESSAN Surge Protector Power Strip 900J 10Ft
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We always keep a steamer on hand to get rid of those pesky wrinkles that pop up right before the girls go on stage.
Jack & Rose Travel Steamer & Iron 2-in-1
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Competition Essentials

Must haves for a smooth competition!

 
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Everything you need to keep your hair competition ready.
Teenitor 300Pcs Brown Bobby Hair Pins
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Stretching is so important for dancers and the last thing on their mind at a competition. Keeping these bands in the bag help with the process.
2 PCS Kids 8-Loop Stretching Strap Bands
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Smooth hair is key. This is the kit we have to ensure we have everything to keep that frizz away!
SWEET VIEW 3Pcs Slick Back Hair Brush
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A sewing kit is necessary for quick fixes for costume malfunctions.
Portable Sewing Kit with 18 Threads & Tools
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Every dance mom should have a first aid kit in their dance bag for those pesky blisters that seem to show up right before stage time!
General Medi 110 Pc Small First Aid Kit - HardCase
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Butt glue is an obvious necessity to prevent costume malfunctions. This is our favorite for my daughter.
Mojo Compression Socks Roll On Body Adhesive 2oz
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This is the only wax stick that keeps my daughters frizz under control.
got2b glued On-The-Go Hair Wax Stick 1.8oz
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A stitch gun is perfect for when it would take too long to pull out the sewing kit or for putting one little stitch in place just to keep the costume in place.
Stitch Gun for Clothes - Handheld Fixer w/ Needles & Fasteners
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Snacks are key for making it through the long day at competitions. Everyone needs a snackle box to keep their snacks organized and contained.
Snackle Box Divided Snack Container Tray
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My daughter has curly hair and a lot of her hairstyles require straight hair. So, we purchased her own straightener to keep in her competiton bag so we don't accidentally forget mine.
TYMO 2-in-1 Flat Iron Hair Straightener & Curler, 1 Inch, Titanium, 32 Temp, Pink
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Somewhere safe to lay down the straightener or steamer when hot.
ANGENIL Heat Resistant Flat Iron Mat & Case
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