National Ballet of Canada Principal Heather Ogden Keeps Her Dance Bag Fully Stocked

May 20, 2019

After 20 years with the National Ballet of Canada, principal Heather Ogden has her dance bag essentials down to a science. “My bag is usually pretty heavy,” she says. “I always like to be prepared.” And as a mother of two, organization is key. Ogden keeps her Lululemon bag in order by storing like items in small pouches. “When you need something, you don’t want to take forever,” she says. “I like to be able to see everything easily.”

Some of Ogden’s standbys chronicle her long history with NBoC. She’s been using her practice tutu, which was made by the company’s wardrobe department, for years. “It has a lot of wear and tear,” says Ogden. Her navy shawl was crocheted by a friend in the company. “It’s nice to have something homemade,” she says. And Ogden is never without a reminder of her family; she always carries a photo of her children, Emma and Leo.

Heather Ogden

Karolina Kuras

The Goods

Clockwise from top right:
Lululemon bag, Mountain Equipment booties (“These are made for winter camping. They’re all stitched up—I’ve been wearing them forever”), iPhone, Freed of London custom pointe shoes (“I’ve been wearing the same maker for at least 15 years”), Blackroll Duoball roller, Dior lip gloss, exercise band, gum, RXBAR (“My favorite protein bar”), Yamuna Foot Savers (“I stand on them and do foot exercises”), Voltaren, family photo, Blackroll mini foam roller, green pouch (“This holds all my toe stuff”), pouch with hair pins, hairbrush, KMS Tools Insta-Cure glue, exercise balls, paper tape, scissors, X-Acto knife (“I use that to cut the shank and shave the bottom of my shoes”), lighter, 2nd Skin Squares, floss for sewing, pliers (“for pulling nails out of the shank”), gray sewing pouch, pointe shoes, legwarmers, protein shake (“I have that almost every day after class”), Uniqlo vest, TheraBand, practice tutu.