#GetReadyWithMe: Go Behind the Scenes in Three Professional Dancers' Dressing Rooms

October 23, 2019

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”

Courtesy Patterson

“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.”

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{“product_info”: {“caption”: “Buy Now”, “product_price”: 0, “product_vendor”: false, “linkout_url”: false, “product_compare_at_price”: 0}, “headline”: “Shelby Pattersonu2014Dancer, Royal Caribbean’s “Spectrum of the Seas””, “credit”: “u003cpu003eCourtesy Pattersonu003c/pu003e”, “description”: “u003cpu003e “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 stuffu2014my 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.”u003c/pu003eu003cpu003e “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.”u003c/pu003e”, “caption”: “”}

Angelica Generosa—Soloist, Pacific Northwest Ballet

Elle Macy, courtesy PNB

“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.”

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Rachel Schur—Annie/Roxie understudy, “Chicago” on Broadway

Courtesy Schur

“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!”

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