Aspen Santa Fe Ballet's Jenelle Figgins Shares Her Favorite Albums, Essential Oils & More Dance Bag Must-Haves

October 3, 2017

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet dancer Jenelle Figgins’ dance bag reflects her proactive approach to well- being. Rather than carrying a one-shouldered bag, which aggravates her back problems, she switched to a backpack. The rest of her essentials are neatly packed into their own small containers. “You know how you have a junk drawer? This is my junk bag, my safety net,” she says. Inside, there’s everything from face wash to homeopathic products like lavender essential oil and Bach Rescue Remedy, a flower essence. “They help calm me down when I’m dealing with stress throughout the day,” she says. “I didn’t know about Rescue Remedy until I came to Colorado, but all the dancers use it.”

When she’s seeking focus or motivation, Figgins turns to her favorite Philips headphones. “I carry these around all the time and I always have music on,” she says. Currently, she’s listening to albums like Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. and Solange’s A Seat at the Table. Figgins is also a huge reader: “I bring books on tour and then I buy more.” In addition to novels, she likes to read books with positive affirmations, like Deepak Chopra’s The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.

Photo by Kyle Froman

The Goods (from top):
The North Face backpack; Free People bag holding toe pads and various rehearsal and performance socks; mouthwash; lavender essential oil (“I’ll do a steam bath with this when I’m on tour”); Bach Rescue Remedy; Cetaphil face wash and lotion; Christian Lacroix notebook (“I journal and take notes throughout the day, and I also write short stories”); books; rice paper blotters; massage balls; packet of honey (“Usually I have a big bottle, but I just ran out. I use it for skin care and energy”); instant-oatmeal packet; blue bag for shoes and booties; exercise band; KT tape; Target bag; Curious George key chain (“This was a gift from one of my dance partners, Craig Black. It makes me laugh”); Lysine ointment; Tiger Balm; Voltaren pain relief gel; Maison Ullens makeup bag with Afro hair pick (“I’m a natural girl”); baby wipes; Philips headphones; Target booties; flat shoes; pointe shoes.