5 Must-Have Holiday Gifts for Ballroom Dancers

Joel Marasigan   •   December 02, 2014   •   0 Comment

christmas gifts

 

With Black Friday now behind us, and Christmas carols being broadcasted over the radio airwaves we can officially say the Holiday Season is now upon us.  Apart from the usual obligatory socks and underwear on everyone’s Christmas list, here are five inexpensive yet essential gifts every ballroom dancer would love to receive this year.

 

Ho Ho Ho, and happy shopping!

 

  • Yoga Mat.  If the dancer in your life is serious about working on their balance, flexibility and core strength, then a yoga mat is an essential training tool.  This way hands, knees, elbows and backs are saved from bruising on a hard studio floor while doing Rolling like a BallCobra or any other number of Pilates or yoga exercises and poses.  Keep in mind that yoga mats come in many different lengths and thicknesses.  A 5mm thick mat should work for most people, but if you’re unsure what thickness to get, pop into your local yoga or Pilates shop.  I’m sure a spandex wearing zen-master would be more than happy to help you out!
  • Yamuna Body Ball.  Dancers get sore, all the time.  Massages are great, but can get expensive very quickly.  Yamuna body balls are a super alternative to alleviate a lot of muscle soreness and tightness due to the stress and strain of everyday dance training.  Keep in mind that the first couple times will hurt!!!  But that’s a good thing, because soon after your body will start to love rolling on these balls.  Your legs, hips, butt, back, ribs, shoulders, arms and even neck will feel so much better using one of these.  I suggest getting two different balls with that are different densities, because some muscle groups will be more sensitive and need a softer ball while others will need a stronger one.  If you travel a lot or don’t have much space in your dance bag, consider getting the little hand pump to inflate and deflate your ball to make it more compact during transit.
  • Headphone Splitter.  This one is more specifically for the Standard couples out there (only because they stay in hold the whole time while dancing, and not because I like them more!).  Sometimes at practice dancers want to use their own music and not have to listen to what is being played on the studio’s main sound system.  Use this cool looking headphone splitter by Urbanears, or any other one for that matter, to share your iPhone’s music with your partner, and only your partner.  This is great too when warming up at a competition and getting into the zone with your partner while blocking out all the crazy backstage distractions.
  • Dryer Sheets.   Just as hockey pads and soccer boots need quarantine due to their  “unique” aromas, so too do dance shoes.  A quick and easy life hack to tame those noxious fumes is to put dryer sheets aka fabric softeners into dance shoes after dancing.  No recommendations on specific types or fragrances here.  I figure anything is better than what would otherwise be lurking in that dance shoe bag.
  • Used Golf Ball.  Ballroom dancers are notorious for loving golf more than dance, but that’s not why a used golf ball is on this essential Christmas list for ballroom dancers.  More than any other body part, a dancer’s feet get the most abuse.  Put a golf ball on the floor and gently roll your foot over the hard orb.  Once you get the hang of it, (and increase your pain threshold) you can start putting more pressure onto the ball by either sitting down on a chair and pushing down on your knee with your hands or standing directly on the ball.  If you want to look good in front of your golf playing buddies, get a bag of Pro-V1′s and share a few with them.  But really, any brand and any colour will do just fine for good old fashioned foot therapy.

 

Here’s one extra bonus idea!

  • iTunes Gift Card.  Although the myDanceCoach app is free to download we’re sure that all dancers would love to unlock the Silver and Gold levels in the app so that they can choreograph unlimited Bronze, Silver and Gold Ballroom and Latin routines.  Just think of how much a single private lesson costs, versus unlocking the full myDanceCoach pro version for less than $30.  Not only will your dancer be able to choreograph their own routines, but also have access to basic technique notes such as timing, footwork and sway to keep them dancing correctly.  An iTunes gift card would be a gift that just keeps on giving for years and years!

 

- Joel


0 Comments

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.