Sophomore Ariyal Jain grew up watching her mother, a Bollywood teacher, hold belly dancing classes. Jain has been dancing since she was 3 years old and competitively dancing since she was five. She has experience with many genres, but her favorites are hip hop, contemporary and jazz funk. As a member of the MV Dance Team, she travels with the team to competitions about four times a year. Jain shares some of the essentials she carries with her. 

Touch ups 

Jain brings makeup, hairspray, hair gel, bobby pins and hair ties with her to touch up on-the-go, especially at competitions. 

Shoes

There are four types of shoes Jain needs for competitions: red sneakers for hip hop sequences, the custom MV Dance Team sneakers, black and tan jazz shoes and half-soles. 

Outfits and accessories 

When she attends competitions, Jain brings her costumes as well as complementary accessories like earrings, chokers and hair pieces. 

Wraps or KT Tape 

Jain makes sure to bring wraps or KT Tape when she has an injury to provide additional support when she is experiencing pain. 

Rollers

In order to relax her muscles, Jain carries a roller to massage her thighs and calves. 

Fuzzy socks

Something meaningful Jain brings is a pair of red fuzzy socks that she received from another member on the MV Dance Team. She explains that carrying around these socks helps remind her that she is always supported by her team. 

Snacks and water 

Jain typically brings healthier snacks with her on competition because she doesn’t like to eat something too heavy before she dances. She likes to bring fruit because it’s light, healthy and sweet. Jain admits that at times, she brings some of her favorite sugary snacks like Oreos and Sour Patch. 

AirPods 

AirPods are an essential for Jain when she is practicing. She prefers AirPods over other ear phones because they don’t have a wire, allowing her to move around freely. She explains that with wired earphones, she has to constantly make sure they don’t get tangled or fall out.