Every time that I’m on the stage as the spotlights are shining down on me and the sweat is dripping I am reassured by the black bag sitting in the wings containing everything I would ever need. The sweaty tap shoes, the tan leather scuffed from many years of hard work, the once pink ballet shoes now a dusty gray, frayed and falling apart after only one months use. The mismatched jazz shoes with the superglue stains from the time Marrinna and I tried to fix them when they fell apart, the chunk of missing leather attached to my old table. Foot-undeez, character shoes, hip-hop sneakers every shoe imaginable waiting for anything Mr. Dan Barris the competition and convention instructor and director throws at me!

Over the years the bag has become messier than under my bed, now it doesn’t only contain the essentials but it contains comfort. My pink polka dotted picture album marking all the memories and my firsts-Dance competition, recital, and pageant.The black water bottle with the picture of Abbie and I on the side wearing our matching outfits smiling. The medical tape, knee brace, icy-hot and ibuprofen ready to help me through anything but in the back of my mind I’m hoping I won’t need them! The programs in their own special compartment in the plastic sleeve protecting them so they don’t get wrinkled. They date back to my first recital in second grade and the last one I have is from the 2010 season, my first real year of dancing, and the empty space waiting for this years program, 2011 my time to shine! I love knowing that I have everything imaginable in my bag! It really boosts my confidence!

I remember the day I got the bag like it was yesterday even though I got it 3 years ago. I was sitting on the hard wooden bench after a tiring hip-hop class with Kendra on my right and Logan on my left, Amy the dance teacher came out of the dance room with the bag in one hand and the suit consisting of shorts, pants, a jacket and 2 shirts in the other hand. As she passed them over to me I was ecstatic! I couldn’t wait until I got home, filled it up and made memories with it.

As I sit on my bed and look at the cluttered chair I smell glitter spray. The aerosol smell gives me a headache but I cant help but smile because I know exactly how that smell got there. It was late Friday night and the competition team members were crowded into the wings of the Stearns auditorium Dolores skipped over joyously no one should be this happy after a long day of rehearsals! She was hiding something behind her back, nobody knew what it was but we all had guesses, some thought it was pizza, others flowers but everybody was wrong it was a bag full of opalescent glitter spray, over 20 cans! We went crazy and sprayed everything! Every costume, shoe, pair of tights, piece of hair, hair accessory, person and bag in sight! That wasn’t all though Saturday morning before our recital Heather brought bottles of plain art glitter. When you have 100 dancers all wanting to be seen sparkling on stage fighting over bottles of glitter it makes a huge mess! My best friend Katarina and I stayed for 3 hours cleaning glitter off the carpet! There were masses of glitter in every space of the dressing room!

The bag balances on top of the cluttered chair ready for me to grab, sling over my shoulder and head out the door when I’m ready. This bag has always been there for me and I would go through anything to save it! Along with all the comfort items it contains my costumes! All 16 of them from this year and the 8 from last year. The sparkles shining brighter than my smile, colors exploding off of them, the new smell still on them.

As I’m on stage and I look over to the wings, I know my brother would be proud of me for following the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared