We all want to be prepared because inevitably something will happen and you'll need a glue gun, duct tape, or some bobby pins. Here is a picture and a list of everything I keep in my Backstage Emergency Box, plus a few other things I bring with me to recitals!

It's gotten to the point where people don't even ask "Do you have..."

They just say, "Hey where's your ______?"

I keep all my stuff in this tackle box, which I got from Amazon through their Vine program. I love it because I can carry it like a briefcase and everything stays in its section, and the section dividers are removable and customizable.  Also, it's only $13 so that's cool.


For costume fixes:

• A Low-temp glue gun and a few glue sticks (low temp is crucial when dealing with kids and emergency fixes! Mine is low enough that I can touch the glue right out of the gun and it won't burn.)
• Safety pins
• Needle and thread, pre-threaded and knotted (I keep mine tucked into a piece of paper)
• An extra elastic drawstring (You wouldn't believe the uses)
• Extra thread and beeswax
• Small scissors or snips

• Nail file
• Nail clippers
• A variety of cloth tape, foam tape and Kinesio text tape (the black stuff - it's elastic and great for sore knees)
• Neosporin
• Bandaids
• Gauze pads and medical tape
• Pain-A-Trate (kid's safe, more effective than other brands because it has tea tree oil in it, non-toxic)

• Empty spray bottle (for water, to slick back hair or cool off overheated dancers)
• Hairspray
• Bobby pins
• Hair nets (not pictured)
• Fine tooth comb 
• Hair bands of different sizes
• Hairagami and foam bun makers

• Glasses or Phone Screen cloth (great for getting fingerprints off of photo lenses as well)
• Clear nail polish
• Chapstick
• Rubber cement (for painting the bottoms of shoes, comes in handy when dancing on a slick floor!)
• Spray E-6000 (also great for shoes, if you need a little stick but not too much)