What's in a Dancer's Bag? And WHY Do You Need One?

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So now your kid is in Irish dance class.

You made it past the free preview classes, and you've spent $$$ for ghillies, that you are still trying to figure out how those other dance moms can tie in less than 30 seconds (it seems).

And then you look at their dance bags, that their shoes came out of, and you start wondering why your kid has their shoes in a pouch bag, and the other kids seem to have cargo bags, in comparison!

I understand your pain- I was there!

We were the same- we started out with a small bag, and then worked our way up to our current bag

The Lassig Mini Duffle is just that-perfect for younger kids and beginner dancers! Your daughter will love the green and pink colors, and the star will remind her she is always a star in your eyes (they have other designs, including the star in blue and olive, as well as a cool shark/ocean theme bag)

As you see the bag folds up flat, and has a handy id label holder on the outside, covered by a protective cover. So no confusion as to whose bag is whose, when you're at a performance- your child's name can be easily seen! When you pop up the bag, you'll see that you have an outside shoe pocket. My daughter uses this section to keep her ghillies in, as she keeps her hard shoes in the larger interior space. Once she changes out of her street shoes, she can put them in the shoe pocket and never get any interior bag contents dirty or wet, from dripping shoes (it never fails to rain on the way to dance class right?).

The interior bag of the bag is pretty, despite how it looks.  I used the satellite remote as a guide for you, as most people are familiar with that size, so you can see how the bag is actually sized in real life proportions.  There is an interior zip pocket to put things like cell phones, keys or wallets (for older kids), and the interior can hold, an outfit (for changing into after class), her hard shoes, and all the extras that go with Irish dancing practice. For performances, there is room for her wig and hair products easily!

It also has an external zipper pocket for essentials and a side mesh pocket for anything that needs to go there. We've found that it fits breakfast bars really well. As we have an 80 minute drive (yes, I'm one of those moms, sigh- that will be a later post), my daughter can put a breakfast bar for on the way down and then another for post class protein nourishment. The ONLY thing the bag is missing for us is a water bottle holder. But as she has a newer larger water bottle, with a no spill lid, she can put in in the central section, with no worries. You could also use the shoe pocket for it and snacks, especially if you don't have hardshoes to deal with. The duffle is made of really high-quality polyester, with sturdy handles and an adjustable shoulder strap. It has stood up to plenty of abuse already, and it has been super easy to clean with just a anti-bacterial wipe. It has been well worth the cost!

Now having said that, I thought you newbies, might want to know just WHAT is actually all that 'extras', right?

I know, looks crazy right?

Let me break it down for you:

- Hard shoes and poodle socks, in protective bag

I know you may scoff at this put, but these shoes are NOT cheap! By putting them in a waterproof, dry bag, we can assure nothing spills on them, melts on them, or scratches them in any way. So basically the shoes stay in great shape, until she outgrows them (which is about every 6 months, in case you were wondering about the 7-9 age range, LOL). I snagged this lunch bag at last year's back to school clearance, and it has worked beautifully!

Continuing we also have

-Notebook with pen, to write down new steps and figures as they are learned. Just like in school, writing helps most kids to learn the steps in sequence!

- Small hairbrush and pony tail holder. See Murphy's Law, that ponytail holder , you put your daughter's hair up with that morning, will break in the middle of class, violating most dance teacher's edicts, of hair pulled back. At least with an extra scrunchie, you can put the hair back up quickly.

- Shoe shine pad- I LOVE this shine and clean duo! The kid can use it easily, and it's perfect for last minute use right before a performance, or competition. Just swipe and shoes are shiny and look great. You can see the difference in the photo below- I buffed the right shoe, before taking the picture. Left hasn't been. 

- Ghillies in a mesh bag, with extra shoes laces. The mesh bag allows them to air dry after a long hour of dance class. Trust me, they will be sweaty! This also helps to keep them contained. As for the extra laces, that is Murphy's Law 101. if you don't have them, your kid will inexplicably break a lace in the middle of practice and have to practice sans shoe, and you will never hear the end of it (yes, I've been there, got that T-shirt, nothing worse than 7 year old drama queen meltdown). Which is why it's recommended to buy an extra set when you get your kid's shoes, so you don't have to worry about not having them. I also have a shoe freshener spray, that I just realized went under the ghillies when I took the picture. Also great for keeping your dance bag from smelling like a gym locker!

- and lastly, the first aid bag.  Once your kid has been Irish Dancing for awhile, you will understand the need for bandaids, boo-boo cream, electrolytes, powder, stomach upset items, allergy meds, chapstick, moleskin and most importantly sports tape. Pulls and sprains are common and frequent, and I can tell you from my daughter's first use of the kinseiology (aka sports) tape, that it is a miracle worker! The only thing I don't have in the bag is her velcro ankle wrap. I didn't realize it had fallen off the table. While she hasn't had to use it yet, having it is Murphy's Law- if you have it, you won't need it!  And while the bag may seem big, it's actually pretty flat and small, as I usually keep about 2 feet only of the tape rolled up in it. Plus, kids in the Irish dancing world are very generous, and when you have a kid that wants to be a doctor when she grows up, take a guess at how often I have to refresh the bag! LOL

- and also not pictures was her water bottle.

So there you go. Now you know why we have bigger bags! 

And while you may not need as much space in the beginning (ie, no hardshoes yet), you can see the basics of what you should have for class. When you start performing and competing, there will be more items, hence needing the space, to keep from having to have multiple bags. We'll discuss those in more detail in a later post!

Stay tuned for more 'finding your way' posts!

Ghillies 101, aka WHAT Are they?

Yeah, you've signed your daughter up for Irish Dance lessons!

You've paid the tuition, the uniform/t-shirt fee, any miscellaneous fees, and then get told not to forget that your daughter will need a pair of ghillies within 6 weeks (or so) for practice (and performances).

Now if you never danced Irish (or Scottish), you may be stumped as to what ghillies are.

Ghillies are soft leather shoes that form to a dancer's foot, and that are used for basic Irish dancing by girls and women (boys and men use reel shoes).

They utilize long laces which criss-cross over the top of the foot (just like you would tie your favorite sneakers).

They then cross behind the heel and back, wrapping under the arch of the foot, and tying on top of the foot.

They can have full leather soles, be split-soled, with a leather, or suede, sole under the heel and under the ball of the foot, or they can be full suede. Ghillies are required to be black for most Irish competitions, and most teachers prefer them for most dancers. Once dancers are at a higher level, they may get ghillies that have been dyed to match their elaborate dance costume.

Confused? Don't worry it get's worse.

The wonders of soft Irish ghillies is that NO TWO are sized the same. That's what happens when you get supple leather! Additionally, like tennis shoes, every brand has their own unique fit and lacing. Some teachers have preferences and would prefer only those brands are bought. Add in European sizing, and it's enough to make a beginner's mom's head spin.

Breathe, we are here to help!

There are primarily four ways to purchase ghillies- brand new off the internet, brand new through a dance shop, used off the internet (ebay and dance forums), or used from fellow dancers. For beginners, most teachers prefer you get a new pair, so they can fit your child better and have more wear to them.

So we're going to discuss that method in this post, and have a second post about buying used ghillies.

First. let's start with the basics.

Some dance companies practice in poodle socks, other's have no preference. Which ever the case, it is best to have a practice sock that is the same weight/thickness of your poodle socks, so that the ghillies will not suddenly seem too big on your dancer, when it is time for performance, when they are in the poodle socks. This also helps to stretch the ghillies out. So you need to get the practice/poodle socks on your child, and then have them stand on a large piece of paper. trace around their foot, being sure to keep your pencil as CLOSE as possible, to the foot. Trace BOTH feet. Your child might have one foot's toes longer than the other! Now you have a sizing model to work with.

Secondly, look at the foot you traced.

Does your child have wide feet? Do their feet look like upside down triangles? Or are they consistant, more in line like a rectangle. This is something to really consider, as different brands fit differently- some are wider and accomendate wide feet better, others are longer and better for thin feet.

As you can see, the Rutherford's are wider than the Antonio Pacelli Hullachan's.

Thirdly, now you will go to the manufacturer's website and find their measurement sheet.

Again, different companies will have different measurements! Look at how HUGE the middle shoes are, yet they are in between sizing of the other two!

You will need to take your tracing and measure the LENGTH in centimeters (European sizing!) to get the best fit. If you seem in between sizes, consider if your child is in the middle of a growth spurt. If they are, you might be able to get away with the larger size. if not, so with the smaller. Ghillies are soft leather, remember? They are meant to STRETCH 1-2 sizes! They can be moistened and but back on your dancer's foot and they will dry/mold to your dancer's foot size!.

Fourth- now the issue of the sole. SIGH, nope not done yet!

You will notice the sole can affect the pricing. Generally sueded and split soles are more expensive. Most teachers prefer that beginner dancers start with regular leather soles, so help with balance, prevent extra slipping, and for comfort.

Lastly, the comfort issue.

Most leather soled ghillies will have some sort of interior padding on the bottom, to help your dancer when they come down from their up steps. If you watch Irish dancing for even 5 minutes, you will realize how padding can make a world of difference to your dancer's feet! Some companies have different levels of padding, so that is something to consider as well.

Whew. now that you've sorted ALL those choices out, you're ready to order!

Word of advice- order and EXTRA set of laces NOW with your ghillies. 2 reasons:

1. You never know when you will need them, and ghillie laces are LONG- generally you can't find them just anywhere, they are a mail order item for most of us.

2. You're already paying for shipping for the shoes, so the added laces, won't add much to the shipping cost!

Your ghillies have arrived!

Yeah, inhale that leather smell, because trust me, they are never gonna smell that good again! Irish dancing is a lot of work, and your dancer's feet wlll sweat. Yup, enough said on that! Your ghillies are usually NOT laced. You will need to lace them like you would a sneaker, leaving the tails loose and NOT going through the side and back loops, until the ghillies are on your dancer's foot.

You will no doubt go to put them on your dancer and stop and go 'huh?'. You see ghillies have no left or right to them! Seriously. They are formed the SAME. As your dancer wears them, they will form left and right. In the beginning you may need to make a L and R on the inside, but after about 3 lessons, you will be able to see the subtle inward bend on the insides, and know which is which.

Different companies also may have different suggestions for lacing your ghillies. Sometimes this is based on where their side heel loops are, so there is a valid reason. Or it could be to offer the best support, based on their arch design. And you dance instructor may have a preference as well. For younger dancer's especially, most teachers prefer to have the laces wrapped around the arch once or twice, to help the arch develop.

Follow any video that is supplies, or check out this basic how to video from

Yeah! Now the ghillies are on and laced.

Stand back and give yourself a hand, and then a kleenex, because you're probably gonna shed a tear or two. Then grab the camera and take a picture of your dancer in their first ghillies. you will both be proud! You for having gotten them laced, and your daughter for looking like a 'real' Irish dancer!

Now make your dancer keep them on for at least 20 minutes, so she can get used to them, and they can start forming to her foot. This will also help you to figure out any lacing that needs to be redone.

And now two words of  advice about Ghillies:

1. Concrete is BAD for the leather bottoms, so try to keep your dancer from walking on anything but carper or wood while wearing in their new shoes (and at other times too!). A handy tip that we pass on is to get a pair of Crocs (or other brand) that are a SIZE larger than your child would normally wear. This way they can slide into them, while wearing their ghillies, and be able to walk anywhere, and not have to worry about damaging their ghillies, and yet be able to drop them and get on stage in a hurry!

2. You need to have a good leather conditioner/cleaner on hand to keep these ghillies lasting as long as possible! We've seen one pair last through FOUR girls already. They are for the most part, really quality made, and if you take care of them, they will LAST. The Leather Nova Conditioner & Cleaner is one that we've found that REALLY pulls the grime and scuffs out, and makes the ghillies look almost new. It also brings back suppleness and keeps them in great shape:

You can read a full review on the product over on our sister blog, Bless Their Hearts Mom!

So there are our thoughts and tips!

Feel free to ask any questions, we'll try to answer them if we can!