Comfortable with dance class

[Anonymous]

We are doing Private lessons but no group.

[Anonymous]

Of course not. My serious dancer is like Zooms r us.

[Anonymous]

No

[Anonymous]

She is 12. We said no for the summer dance session and are now debating what to do for Fall/winter. If it was an outdoor activity, I would absolutely say yes but this is all indoors with sweaty teens and I fear that even with reduced class sizes, it is a bad idea. I almost wish there was a blanket prohibition bc then the option would be out of our control. Problem is made worse bc most of her friends on this intensive track are returning to the studio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How old? I'd be comfortable with an 8 year old, probably, but not a 12 year old.

Why is that? Do you feel the 8 year old is less likely to get more sick?

[Anonymous]

Right now I’m doing only outdoor sports. That said my kids aren’t so good at anything that it matters much if they take a full year off.

[Anonymous]

Yes, my DD returned to her studio for summer classes and will be take classes in the fall as well. Classes are half the size as usual, dancers and instructors are wearing masks, and everyone is spread out. I'm usually very risk averse, but feel comfortable with how things are being handled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She is 12. We said no for the summer dance session and are now debating what to do for Fall/winter. If it was an outdoor activity, I would absolutely say yes but this is all indoors with sweaty teens and I fear that even with reduced class sizes, it is a bad idea. I almost wish there was a blanket prohibition bc then the option would be out of our control. Problem is made worse bc most of her friends on this intensive track are returning to the studio.

New poster. Longtime studio parent. DD a young adult, no longer at local studio, but...I feel so bad for all the families making choices about dance and in many cases having to tell dancers no. DD's former studio here is open for summer with these protocols, I'm told:
--Dancers are IN masks the entire time, even dancing. I suspect the oldest dancers might take them off for certain types of lessons but am not sure.
--No dressing rooms open. Arrive dressed to dance and leave in your dance gear
--Zero access to kitchen/eating area, bring your own water bottle, no snacking at studio
--Enter and exit only through the exterior doors in your one studio. The site has several studios which all have doors to the outside; those usually are locked from outside (emergency exits only in normal times) but now, no students come or go through the lobby-- they enter from outside directly into the studio they use and leave the same way
--Bathroom breaks for students under a certain age (not sure what age) are chaperoned and I think limited re: numbers
--Teachers also are masked I think and teachers wipe down the barres or anything else dancers touch, between each class. I believe there's a gap now between classes that in the past might have run back to back in the same studios--?
--Class sizes are now smaller so students can spread out
--Parents cannot drop off younger kids but must wait for them (I'm sure they can dash off quickly if they come right back) -- the idea is that no student should ever wait around for a pickup but should exit those exterior doors and go right into a waiting car to leave. No hanging out. There's no access to the lobby to wait or hang out anyway.

If your studios aren't doing things like these, and haven't closed off high-traffic areas like lobbies and dressing rooms, I would not send my kid.

I know all this from other parents. Seems like a very solid, well-considered plan and I hope the studio will survive this year. Dance studios tend to be small businesses, very often family-owned, and operate on pretty narrow margins in some cases. And teachers are often freelancers who are not making a lot and who supplement teaching dance with lots of other jobs, multiple teaching slots, some performances maybe. It's a business people do because they love it.

But all that said, I would be as torn as anyone about letting teen DD go back to dance right now. And probably still would say no. Even with the best protocols, no studio or karate school or other indoor activity can tell anyone which families are strictly distancing (like mine) and which are out there, hitting stores, taking beach vacations, visiting people, etc. And that's worrying. I also have concerns -- NOT just at dance studios but everywhere-- about ventilation systems, since the virus has been shown clearly to spread based on HVAC air flow in a room. (Look up the Chinese restaurant air conditioning cluster if you have doubts).

[Anonymous]

My 16 yo returned to work at a martial arts school. Mandatory temp checks and use of hand sanitizer upon arrival, and masks are required. Most students are still taking classes via Zoom but a limited number can sign up to attend in person. The mat is sectioned off to ensure proper distancing. There’s almost always someone cleaning and no equipment is being used. The safety protocols are better and more strictly enforced than what the school system was proposing (which is why my kid feels safe at work but planned to do DL!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She is 12. We said no for the summer dance session and are now debating what to do for Fall/winter. If it was an outdoor activity, I would absolutely say yes but this is all indoors with sweaty teens and I fear that even with reduced class sizes, it is a bad idea. I almost wish there was a blanket prohibition bc then the option would be out of our control. Problem is made worse bc most of her friends on this intensive track are returning to the studio.

New poster. Longtime studio parent. DD a young adult, no longer at local studio, but...I feel so bad for all the families making choices about dance and in many cases having to tell dancers no. DD's former studio here is open for summer with these protocols, I'm told:
--Dancers are IN masks the entire time, even dancing. I suspect the oldest dancers might take them off for certain types of lessons but am not sure.
--No dressing rooms open. Arrive dressed to dance and leave in your dance gear
--Zero access to kitchen/eating area, bring your own water bottle, no snacking at studio
--Enter and exit only through the exterior doors in your one studio. The site has several studios which all have doors to the outside; those usually are locked from outside (emergency exits only in normal times) but now, no students come or go through the lobby-- they enter from outside directly into the studio they use and leave the same way
--Bathroom breaks for students under a certain age (not sure what age) are chaperoned and I think limited re: numbers
--Teachers also are masked I think and teachers wipe down the barres or anything else dancers touch, between each class. I believe there's a gap now between classes that in the past might have run back to back in the same studios--?
--Class sizes are now smaller so students can spread out
--Parents cannot drop off younger kids but must wait for them (I'm sure they can dash off quickly if they come right back) -- the idea is that no student should ever wait around for a pickup but should exit those exterior doors and go right into a waiting car to leave. No hanging out. There's no access to the lobby to wait or hang out anyway.

If your studios aren't doing things like these, and haven't closed off high-traffic areas like lobbies and dressing rooms, I would not send my kid.

I know all this from other parents. Seems like a very solid, well-considered plan and I hope the studio will survive this year. Dance studios tend to be small businesses, very often family-owned, and operate on pretty narrow margins in some cases. And teachers are often freelancers who are not making a lot and who supplement teaching dance with lots of other jobs, multiple teaching slots, some performances maybe. It's a business people do because they love it.

But all that said, I would be as torn as anyone about letting teen DD go back to dance right now. And probably still would say no. Even with the best protocols, no studio or karate school or other indoor activity can tell anyone which families are strictly distancing (like mine) and which are out there, hitting stores, taking beach vacations, visiting people, etc. And that's worrying. I also have concerns -- NOT just at dance studios but everywhere-- about ventilation systems, since the virus has been shown clearly to spread based on HVAC air flow in a room. (Look up the Chinese restaurant air conditioning cluster if you have doubts).

OP here. Thank you, this is helpful. The protocols are very similar to what her studio is doing. My biggest concern is that some activities are just inherently riskier and these measures mitigate some of that risk but I'm just trying to weigh whether it is worth it. We did do the zoom dance classes in the spring but they really did not seem that effective. I think we will try to make a last minute decision at the end of August.

[Anonymous]

OP, have you looked into private or semi-private instruction with this studio or another one? Instead of 4 large group classes a week, she could do 1 or 2 privates or semi-privates and get plenty of personalized instruction without as much possible exposure. You might reach out to other parents with dancers at her level to see if they are interested -- surely some of them have the same concerns you do. Plus, if you find the right instructor, they should be able to give your daughter a training program to supplement the private classes so that she can continue to train at home. Having sequences to work on and a skill drills to focus on can be very effective if she is seeing the instructor regularly to make sure she is getting the technique training she needs.

For reference, I danced from age 8 through college (modern dance minor) and taught dance throughout my 20s. My senior year of high school, I was involved in a theater program that made it impossible for me to participate in my studio's advanced intensive program, so I did two privates a week at another studio and supplemented with training on my own. I think it was one of the best things I did to prepare for college-level dance, where you need to be more self-directed and resourceful. Since I already had a good technique base, I don't think I lost anything, and I gained a ton of knowledge about how I work best and what kinds of dance and choreography best suited me. For what it's worth.

Then your daughter could get the training she wants, plus socializing with a couple friends, without the high risk of attending an indoor, group exercise activity 4 times a week.Even with the safety procedures, it just sounds too risky to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She is 12. We said no for the summer dance session and are now debating what to do for Fall/winter. If it was an outdoor activity, I would absolutely say yes but this is all indoors with sweaty teens and I fear that even with reduced class sizes, it is a bad idea. I almost wish there was a blanket prohibition bc then the option would be out of our control. Problem is made worse bc most of her friends on this intensive track are returning to the studio.

New poster. Longtime studio parent. DD a young adult, no longer at local studio, but...I feel so bad for all the families making choices about dance and in many cases having to tell dancers no. DD's former studio here is open for summer with these protocols, I'm told:
--Dancers are IN masks the entire time, even dancing. I suspect the oldest dancers might take them off for certain types of lessons but am not sure.
--No dressing rooms open. Arrive dressed to dance and leave in your dance gear
--Zero access to kitchen/eating area, bring your own water bottle, no snacking at studio
--Enter and exit only through the exterior doors in your one studio. The site has several studios which all have doors to the outside; those usually are locked from outside (emergency exits only in normal times) but now, no students come or go through the lobby-- they enter from outside directly into the studio they use and leave the same way
--Bathroom breaks for students under a certain age (not sure what age) are chaperoned and I think limited re: numbers
--Teachers also are masked I think and teachers wipe down the barres or anything else dancers touch, between each class. I believe there's a gap now between classes that in the past might have run back to back in the same studios--?
--Class sizes are now smaller so students can spread out
--Parents cannot drop off younger kids but must wait for them (I'm sure they can dash off quickly if they come right back) -- the idea is that no student should ever wait around for a pickup but should exit those exterior doors and go right into a waiting car to leave. No hanging out. There's no access to the lobby to wait or hang out anyway.

If your studios aren't doing things like these, and haven't closed off high-traffic areas like lobbies and dressing rooms, I would not send my kid.

I know all this from other parents. Seems like a very solid, well-considered plan and I hope the studio will survive this year. Dance studios tend to be small businesses, very often family-owned, and operate on pretty narrow margins in some cases. And teachers are often freelancers who are not making a lot and who supplement teaching dance with lots of other jobs, multiple teaching slots, some performances maybe. It's a business people do because they love it.

But all that said, I would be as torn as anyone about letting teen DD go back to dance right now. And probably still would say no. Even with the best protocols, no studio or karate school or other indoor activity can tell anyone which families are strictly distancing (like mine) and which are out there, hitting stores, taking beach vacations, visiting people, etc. And that's worrying. I also have concerns -- NOT just at dance studios but everywhere-- about ventilation systems, since the virus has been shown clearly to spread based on HVAC air flow in a room. (Look up the Chinese restaurant air conditioning cluster if you have doubts).

These measured are helpful but not bulletproof. It is a bandaid approach to attempt to stay in business. At this point opening is not in the best interest of the dancers. It is unethical and an attempt to avoid litigation when cases inevitably arise.

[Anonymous]

We’ve returned. Masks for all. Temp checks before entering. 10-ft distance between kids. Bars wiped down between classes. Kids assigned a specific area and bar segment from which they can’t deviate. Windows are all open for air flow. No parents inside. Dressing rooms, lobby, water fountains all closed. Each class enters their specific studio from a separate outdoor entrance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve returned. Masks for all. Temp checks before entering. 10-ft distance between kids. Bars wiped down between classes. Kids assigned a specific area and bar segment from which they can’t deviate. Windows are all open for air flow. No parents inside. Dressing rooms, lobby, water fountains all closed. Each class enters their specific studio from a separate outdoor entrance.

Same protocols at our studio. DD’s claire has only 4 students. We feel comfortable but realize this isn’t risk free.

[Anonymous]

Class not claire.