For Tisch freshman Anna Rose, dance has been a constant in her life since the age of 3. Although she has dabbled in acting, singing and playing piano, Rose is committed to dance and just a glance in her bag reveals her passion. Her schedule keeps her on her toes between her academics, job at the Joyce Theater and dance activities. Her bag, which she considers to be a “jumbled bottomless pit,” and its contents are essential to get her through the day.
Ballet Slippers and Pointe Shoes
Dance shoes are as important to a dancer as a notebook is to a writer. Since her focus is on contemporary and modern dance, she is currently taking a modern dance class and a ballet class, and her shoes go with her everywhere. She also choreographs pieces and contributes to other student and faculty pieces within the Tisch dance department. Rose is currently a part of two student pieces and one faculty piece.
Deodorant & Ibuprofen
These are two items Rose consistently totes around. The ibuprofen is useful for whenever she has been on pointe for a while and it also helps to reduce any swelling that may occur.
“As a dancer, I always have deodorant,” Rose said. “It’s a necessity for obvious reasons.”
iPod
Rose loves her iPod and her big headphones, which she says will double as earmuffs in the winter. Rose said she is passionate about her music and says her favorite artists are Iggy Azalea, Lana Del Rey, The Doors and Jim Morrison. Rose said she also loves jazz and listening to Billie Holiday, and often sings jazz herself.
Various Books
To keep herself organized, Rose carries a standard agenda. Within it, she lists all the times for her different clas-ses and her work schedule at the Joyce Theater. She also has an anatomy coloring book for her Anatomy for Dancers course, which requires her to carry colored pencils regularly, and her Writing the Essay textbook. She also has a Russian textbook for a class she takes three days a week.
“I chose Russian because I am extremely fascinated by the language, it’s beautiful and both my best friend and a mentor of mine are Russian,” Rose said.
Thera-Bands, Tennis Ball, and Rubber Ball
To maintain her physique, Rose tries to cross train a few times a week. When she cannot make it to the gym, she uses Thera-Bands and a tennis ball to work out. The other ball she carries is a rubber ball about the size of a tennis ball, and she considers it to be the “most essential” tool she has to maintain her muscles. She uses it to roll her muscles, and she pays particular attention to her feet.
A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Nov. 4 print edition. Khaleelah Logan is a staff writer. Email her at [email protected].
