Backpacks impacting dance students

English, biology, dance education, improvisation, ballet, modern and jazz; this is a common schedule for a dance major. Four of the six classes listed above are physical and long classes. Dance majors are at school longer than other students, since their coursework is done entirely in class. Annabrielle Fager is a dance student who spends 12 hours at UVU each day.

“Last semester I was at school from eight in the morning till eight at night,” Fager said.

Although this sounds like a lot, many dance students are more involved in the dance program than Fager. Some are involved in more dance performance groups than Fager

“I was there for rehearsals and performances during the spring and wasn’t even in a company,” Fager said. “The dancers who are in companies are definitely there all day.”

With all of the stress of dancing all day, along with two separate dance buildings, the Liberal Arts and Gunther Trades buildings, heavy backpacks can be a burden. Most dance students take multiple bags to school; Fager is one such student.

“I take a backpack for my school stuff and another bag for my clothes and shoes,” Fager said.

Fager carries several types of dance shoes, a change of dance clothes, a lunch and her books to school every day. She explained that this doesn’t impact her dancing as long as it is used correctly.

“A lot of times it depends on how you wear your backpack,” Fager said. “If they wear it down low then it can make your back arch.”

Although the young dancers don’t care if their back is being slightly arched, according to Fager, older dancers find it more important to worry about their bodies and will commonly use backpacks that roll.

“We injure our bodies one way or another while dancing so I don’t see how the stress of a back pack would be much of a difference,” Fager said.