Inside Pennsylvania Ballet Principal Lillian DiPiazza's Dance Bag
Pennsylvania Ballet principal Lillian DiPiazza is all about efficiency: Her head-to-toe routine is chock-full of dancer-friendly hacks. For instance, she sews pointe shoes in record time with thick, pink thread. “I can put four stitches on each side and it holds,” she says. Similarly, a single alligator hairclip from a boutique in Philadelphia does the job of many more hairpins.
Some of the items in DiPiazza’s Marc Jacobs tote (chosen for its lightness) seem out of place in a dance bag. Rather than lambswool or toe pads, she uses Clorox Handi Wipes. “They’re similar to paper towels but a little bit more substantial,” she says. “You can use them for a couple days, then just toss them in the trash.” And in place of a plastic water bottle, which she was prone to losing, DiPiazza hydrates from a large glass jar. Bonus: The jar is easy to clean, and she throws in mint, lemons or other fruits for flavor.
The Goods from left:
Stage makeup; rhinestones (for decorating pointe shoes in Cinderella); booties; Clorox Handi Wipes Multi-Use Reusable Cloths; legwarmers (“These are from Marshalls. They’re lightweight but super-warm!”); Thera-Bands; Tulips by Tracy skirt; ballet slippers; pointe shoes (“I usually have a harder pair and a softer pair”); headphones; elephant-pattern bag containing gel toe tips, BFI powder, Tiger Balm and a bouncy ball (“To roll out the bottom of my feet”); thread spool; Epicuren face mist (“It’s an enzyme toner. I’ll mist it on my face and neck to freshen up between rehearsals”); Marc Jacobs tote; water jar; glittery cross pouch containing Advil and Emergen-C; hair clip.
Photo by Jim Lafferty
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