Dressing Room Etiquette
by Nizana
This year at Medfest (The Mediterranean Fantasy Festval in Seattle, WA), I was in the dressing room next to Saqra and her troupe, and I heard Saqra ask them if they were remembering to be respectful of others in the dressing room. I looked at her and smiled and gave her the thumbs up. Thank you, Saqra!!! What an excellent message! I actually teach that, too, verbally and in handouts I provide to my students. That is something all dancers should be aware of at each performance. “Dressing rooms” are rarely optimal for such activity to begin with, and remembering basic dressing room etiquette makes it easier and more pleasant for everyone.
“Dressing rooms” are typically makeshift, except for those rare times when you are fortunate enough to actually have a “Green Room.” The real dressing rooms, with makeup lights and counters and places to hang things, are fabulous! But alas, the “dressing room” is more often than not, a public bathroom, and often a very public one at that. We were told the bathroom would be closed off for us at a recent youth center performance, but we had a group of enthralled little girls hovering over us and running in and out the entire time asking lots of questions as we were trying to get ready. After we performed and went to get changed, we noticed the little girls were leaving us alone this time. We opened the bathroom door to leave, and we had a whole horde of girls that almost fell in waiting for us to come out! (That actually was kind of cute…) It can also be a food storage room, a tent (watch to be sure the flaps are secure, especially when it’s windy!!!!), or an office space. It can be a travel trailer, any room in a house, or any other assorted makeshift places to change in and out of your costume. Anytime there is more than one dancer changing, which is daunting as it is, challenges may arise.
Some of the no-no’s I’ve seen are;
· Standing there with the door wide open while dancers are standing there in the dressing room in various arrays of undress. Please! Shut the door!
· Piling your stuff on someone else’s while they step out to use the restroom or dance is a no-no, too. Find your own spot, as hard as that may be, but don’t bury other people’s things with yours so they get mixed up and take up precious time sorting through. That doesn‘t mean shoving their stuff out of the way so you can have that spot they already have, either!
· Spraying hairspray, perfumes and things are also advised against due to people’s allergies and how confined the room is.
· If you’re done, it's best to gather your items and leave so that others have room to actually use the dressing room for what it‘s for.
Some of the “do‘s” include;
· Giving someone a safety pin if they need one.
· Sharing the mirror so others can adjust their costumes and makeup, too (there never seems to be enough mirrors!)
· Try to minimize trips in and out, providing privacy for others to change.
· Keep your items organized and in one area, and not strewn about.
· Bring along tissues and a small towel or washcloth to dry off as needed before or after a performance.
· Take the cell phone calls outside or turn them off or on vibrate.
· Keep conversations in proximity as opposed to shouting over others across the room.
· Let others know how nice they look or how good they danced!
As nice or as challenging a dressing room is, it should be as stress-free as possible so you can go out and perform with comfort and confidence, and come back and relax.
