Inside Jacopo Tissi’s Dance Bag
Dutch National Ballet principal dancer Jacopo Tissi’s career has taken him across Europe, from his home in Italy to the Bolshoi in Russia, and now to the Netherlands. Everywhere he goes, he tries to pick up souvenirs to remind him of his travels. “I like when I see these items around the house. I’m like, “Ah, yeah, this was from New York,’” Tissi says.
He also carries a box of small trinkets given to him by friends and family, “small things I’ve collected that I feel are like protection, or items that make them feel like they’re with me all the time,” he says.
Those irreplaceable items stayed safely at the hotel when DNB visited New York to perform in the Fall for Dance Festival at New York City Center. When it comes to carrying his everyday necessities, Tissi is less precious. He tends to rotate between a variety of tote bags, and recently elected to carry his belongings in a nylon drawstring bag with the company’s logo printed on it. “It’s like a little backpack, so it’s comfortable to bring and walk around [with] as well,” says Tissi.
The Goods
Earbuds: “I always listen to music before going to work. I even have a couple of podcasts I like to listen to,” Tissi says. “On a normal day, it’s very mixed. I like pop music, R&B—and Italian music, of course.” He also uses his earbuds to review music for choreography or to get in the right mood before performing.
Watch: Tissi describes his street style as classic, and enjoys playing with different shapes and fabrics. Outside the studio he favors simple jeans and button-downs. He also likes to wear the watch that his father gave him for his 18th birthday. “It’s not about the value of the watch itself, but it’s about the idea, and the good luck [the watch provides],” he says.
Snacks: While the brands tend to vary when the company is on tour, Tissi likes to carry protein bars and some kind of mixed nuts as an on-the-go snack. He also adds electrolytes to his water for extra vitamins and minerals.
Ballet shoes and compression sock: Tissi wears Sansha ballet shoes, and he carries a compression sock—“That’s very handy to have in between rehearsals or during a long day, to help blood circulation.”
Perfume: He keeps fresh during rehearsal with a Diptyque fragrance. “This is the slightly lighter version of the fragrance I use most.”
Book: “It’s just nice to have a book in the dance bag when you have big breaks. And it kind of makes me relax and disconnect a little bit before needing to concentrate again.”
He picked up Letter from New York, by Helene Hanff, on DNB’s recent tour to Fall for Dance.
Rehab tools: Tissi carries a miniature massage gun, exercise band, tape, and a tiny rubber ball. “It’s a ball from a pet shop,” he says. “Our Pilates teacher at Dutch National gave it to me. It’s the perfect size for my arch.”
