If you are new to show skating, be ready for the infamous "rehearsal foot syndrome." Blisters, corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, ripped toenails, no toenails, jammed toes, "skater's heel," bone spurs, plantar fascitis, ankle pain, heel pain, joint pain, etc...basically, be prepared for a nail technician's nightmare, with no rest from the torture until after opening night of shows.

My show has been rehearsing in Cordoba, Argentina for the past week, and wow--the venue is COLD! Many of our new-to-show skaters did not pack accordingly, so I thought it would be helpful for future show skaters to know what clothes to bring to rehearsals. Even if an experienced show skater, who has been to your particular rehearsal venue, shares the venue's climate conditions with you, venues (especially in South America) constantly change and you might find yourself in a different venue in the same city, or in the same venue but with a different AC/heating unit!

To know what to bring to wear at rehearsals, you need to first understand a basic rehearsal schedule. Below is an example of my day at rehearsals for a new tour season:

• 8:00AM--Breakfast at hotel before walking over to the venue
• 9:00AM--Group warm-up and on-ice class session
• 10:00AM--Act I numbers
• 11:30AM--Lunch break
• 1:00PM--Continue Act I numbers
• 3:00PM--Run Act I
• 5:00PM--Independent practice ice

In the morning, after our warm-up and on-ice class, my limbs will be warm and loose. However, once we begin rehearsing a few numbers in Act I, if I'm not in the numbers being rehearsed, I will head off (skates stay on) to sit by the ice and wait for a number I am in to start rehearsing. Since it's rehearsals, one number might take quite a long time to clean up and get through--meaning, I might be sitting by the ice for a while, my limbs gradually getting tighter as I get colder. Additionally, my sweat from earlier skating (and having on icy skates for hours at a time) will quickly make me freeze up. Finally, it might be time for me to hop on the ice and join in on a number--but then I'm tight and freezing, so my movement is restricted. Thankfully, most of rehearsals at this stage don't involve major jumps, spins or pair maneuvers (since it's mostly to work on blocking, place new-to-show skaters in their spots, and understand the character/emotion/dialogue of each scene), but it can still be challenging to skate while cold and tight.

So! What do you bring to wear? I suggest bringing the following:

1. EASY ON & OFF COLD WEATHER GEAR. You want to be able to quickly (under 5 seconds) throw your stuff on when you get cold, and throw it off when you're on the ice and starting to sweat. You do NOT (and can not!) want to hold up rehearsals to change your outfit.
   
2. MITTENS. You do not need skating gloves. In fact, you won't want skating gloves! You want the warmest mittens you have.
   
3. HALF-MITTENS. These are helpful when you start to sweat. It'll keep your hands warm, but also allow your fingers to breathe, as well as to move and be seen during numbers.
   
4. SCARF. But NOT one that will itch your skin, or won't let your skin breathe when you start sweating.
   
5. EAR-WARMERS. A hat might fall off during rehearsals, and you will sweat a lot wearing a thick, warm hat. An ear-warmer lets your sweat rise off your head, but still keeps you toasty.
   
6. LEG-WARMERS. If you're hanging out by the ice but not skating, skating tights/pants alone are usually not warm enough. Leg warmers won't make you sweat too much, but will keep you warm.
   
7. FLEECE BLANKET. They're compact and light enough to bring to the venue, and will keep your legs warm while you're sitting ice-side.
8. MOISTURE-WICKING SKATING PANTS. I suggest Lululemon pants, SeKu skating pants, or Under Armor track pants. You should be wearing black or dark colored pants to rehearsals regardless. You want pants that will give you a clean line, keep you warm AND cool, absorb sweat, allow you to move, and will quickly dry off if wet from moves that require you to be on the ice.
   
9. COLD WEATHER JACKET. Bring a jacket (such as a Northface, SuperDry or Columbia windbreaker) that you can skate in and will also keep you warm (not a ski jacket).
   
10. CHANGE OF SKATE SOCKS/TIGHTS. If your feet become wet, you'll quickly get cold and you're also at risk for getting vicious blisters. Keep a dry pair of skating socks with you by the ice, so you can quickly change your socks if necessary.

When it comes time to pack for your first year on tour, there are a million things you'll think are necessary to bring. Don't bring them. For example:

1. NEW SKATES
As a new show skater, you are going to be skating for many hours in rehearsals. There will be few opportunities, if any, to take off your skates during rehearsals. If you can't get through a 45-minute session in your skates, don't expect to make it through a 6-hour rehearsal.

2. SKATING/COMPETITION DRESSES
Show skating is a profession, and it's important to dress that way. Bring clothing that allows you to comfortably move, and will still be comfortable after running a number 10 times.

3. FOOD
Don't waste space in your luggage bringing food from home. If there is a certain non-perishable delicacy you can't live without, have someone from home mail it to you. Or, better yet, learn to live without it and learn to love the local favorites.

4. 50 PAIRS of UNDERWEAR, 10 PAIRS of PANTS, 30 SHIRTS
You don't need, or have the room for, your entire wardrobe. When I first packed for tour, I completely overpacked, and ended up spending lots of money shipping things back home. Your company will most likely only pay for two checked bags, and will not cover an overweight fee. You'd be surprised how quickly your luggage will get to 50-lbs, and you'll be horrified when you have to pay an overweight fee ($50-$100 per bag). Additionally, the more you pack, the more you have to unpack--each week. It will get increasingly agitating to deal with a 2-hour unpacking routine upon arriving at your hotel at 3:00AM after a 12-hour bus trip. Remember, there are laundry machines you can use! You don't need to pack enough underwear to get you through 9-months of tour. 

5. SKATING STOCKINGS & OVER-THE-BOOT TIGHTS
Your company will provide the specific kind of tights they require you to wear when you arrive. You will not be wearing over-the-boot tights during rehearsals (unless you decide to wear what they provide).

6. HARD COPY BOOKS
This one hit me hard. I am obsessed with books, and, for the longest time, was equally obsessed with "never getting an e-Reader." As an English major and lover of the classics, it felt completely sacrilegious to even consider abandoning the rustic smell of an old paperback. I swore up and down I would never move into the "digital age" when it came to books, which, I believed, were meant to be crafted on paper and read from paper. Well, then I was slapped with a $75 overweight fee, and irritated all the {cough} patient {cough} airport customers in the long line behind me, as I pulled out 8 hard copy books from my over-stuffed bags. I got a Kindle Paperwhite the next day (the closest thing I could find to an actual book--the agony!).

7. SPEAKERS
You won't need them, they'll break in your luggage and they take up more room than they're worth. If you bring along your computer, that's good enough. The speakers at the rink are set up to accommodate your audience, so when you want to listen to jams on free ice, that's what you'll use.

8. LOTIONS & POTIONS
The bottom line: large bottles of liquids (i.e. lotion, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, shaving cream, etc.) will weigh your luggage down. My first trip on tour, I thought it was important to have enough of my favorite face wash to last me a few months--until I got to the airport and ended up throwing it all away to save weight. Go with smaller size bottles to keep your luggage manageable, and reorder or pick up new bottles on the road. Living on the road doesn't mean you are isolated from civilization! You can still go to the drugstore, or order products online, just as if you ran out of a product at home. I've watched many fellow skaters open their luggage and find a gooey, Cucumber Melon-smelling mess due to an exploded bottle. It's also a pain to deal with finding a place in your hotel room for all these beauty products. If your hotel bathroom is small, you're going to be running back and forth to your luggage to get ready, which is not ideal when trying to rush out the door at 4:30AM for a publicity event. Think about it: do you really need four different lotions to keep your legs moisturized? Keep your lotions and potions to a minimum and you'll be a much happier traveler.

9. EXERCISE EQUIPMENT
I honestly thought it was a good idea to bring my yoga mat on tour. However, while pulling two 50-lb suitcases, and lugging my carry-on bag and purse, I decided it was rather inconvenient to also juggle my yoga mat. I still do yoga on tour, but I deal without the mat (or, sometimes I'll put a hotel towel down). Most likely, there will also be various workout gear that travels with your tour (i.e. foam rollers, free weights, etc.). Leave your exercise equipment back home to avoid driving yourself, and other travelers, completely bonkers.

10. EXPENSIVE JEWELRY
More likely than your stuff getting stolen is that it will get lost. If you are literally unpacking and repacking every week for 9-months, it's entirely likely an earring that's no bigger than a fingernail will get lost in the ruckus. Leave the meaningful or expensive jewelry at home to avoid this.

11. ROLLERBLADES
Yes, I know most people don't bring their rollerblades when they decide to go on a 9-month trip. But, I love my rollerblades and I thought it would be fantastic to explore new cities by rolling all over the place. However, my rollerblades didn't fit well in my luggage and the hotel staff wasn't too thrilled by my rolling right out the front doors. Leave the outdoor activities at home, and explore new places in comfortable walking shoes instead.

12. ALL YOUR SHOES
You don't need to bring winter boots if your tour starts in August. Leave them at home and save space in your luggage, and save yourself the headache of having to pack and unpack them each week. When the weather gets chilly, have someone from home mail your boots. Consider realistically how often you will need fancy high heels, and take that into account when packing. For a new show girl, I suggest 1-2 pairs of: flip-flops (for pool), comfortable walking shoes or flats, black flats (for publicity events), sneakers (for exercising and off-ice work), black heels (to go with everything), and nice boots for winter events.

13. ALL YOUR BAGS
I learned how to manage my luggage/purses once on tour. I have a large shoulder bag that I use to take my stuff to the rink and back to the hotel (we leave our skates at the rink), and this bag doubles as my "purse" when flying (you're allowed one carry on and one purse, even if the purse is a rather large duffel). I have one small cross-shoulder bag that I use day-to-day, and just one small clutch that I use if going somewhere fancy. When at the airport, I throw my actual purse inside my carry-on "purse," and I'm ready to go. Easy, low-key, effective, and barely anything to pack.

14. GUIDEBOOKS
You don't need guidebooks if you know how to use Google. Do a web search each week for interesting things to do in the upcoming city, and jot them down in your phone or a notebook. Guidebooks are heavy and, to be honest, your main obligation when traveling as a show skater is your job. You will have time to go exploring, but it won't be enough time to do everything suggested in a tourist guide.

15. GADGETS
You don't need to stuff your bag before you even get on tour. Remember, you will most likely be buying things on the road, so save yourself some space. Leave the nightlights, portable DVD players, toothbrush sanitizers, language translators, door alarms, large hair dryers, curling irons, large flashlights, keychains, external hard drives, large cameras and camera accessories, and Tamagotchis at home. If you're a gadget addict, perhaps reconsider why you are going away for an extended period of time. Is it for the gadgets, or the experience? You won't remember how curly your hair was or the 8,000 DVDs you brought on your external HD, but you will remember your visit to the Statue of Liberty. Leave the gadgets at home, or rotate them periodically throughout the year to save you space and sanity.