Would you allow your child to go to indoor dance classes where masks are optional for kids?

[Anonymous]

OP - 10 or less per class per mandate, so ignore my 15 students comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I told her we were pulling out of the St. Patrick's Day performance two weeks before it was cancelled and she was shocked. I was nervous just at the rehearsal in early March - crowed auditorium full of people. She didn't see the pandemic hitting like it did.

We've expressed our concern in the past, and it's not really making an impact. Many of the families are Catholic and their kids are in person at school, so it's not a big deal to them. I did see that parents won't be allowed inside unless dropping off little ones, so that's good. Our class is 15 kids and while it's in a dance studio with tall ceilings, I worry that is still too many kids and this could be a bigger risk than I am comfortable with. Strongly leaning towards doing an online option, though my kids' friends are all going. Le sigh...

It just sounds like a group with the possibility for a lot of exposure. I run a youth program and we are not meeting in person because ethically we don't want to add to students' expose at school and work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - 10 or less per class per mandate, so ignore my 15 students comment.

ID mom here -- our classes were cut to 8 and we had to change locations to make it more accommodating. We just started indoor classes after masked outdoor all summer -- though I saw plenty of schools posting with indoor classes even this summer. Big no for us.

I don't know if you saw but Mid-Atlantic just postponed their Os until January (still may cancel) which is the same weekend as your's. I can't imagine Mid-America is going forward but there definitely seems to be a more lackadaisical approach to rules in that region.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our two daughters are about to start Irish dance lessons again, and while they used Zoom in spring and summer, they are going back to in person later this month. The teachers and parents will all be required to wear masks the whole time indoors, and students will be encouraged to, but we were told masks will not be enforced for the kids back in July. Our state now has a mask mandate, so I assume this supercedes the school's policy. Thoughts on relative risks of this activity?

No. All masked or no class
This is beyond stupid.

[Anonymous]

No if not masked.
Yes, if masked,.but I would be more comfortable if they could move outside.

[Anonymous]

OP here - just checked with a fellow dance mom. Her daughter did other in person competitive dance classes over the summer. I asked what that was like and she said:

"Everyone wears masks to enter/exit/transition, but I don't think they are required to wear masks during the actual dancing since it can be vigorous exercise. I'm assuming it's the same thinking for Irish dance"

If that's the case, no frickin' way. I sound loony to these other parents who we are great friends with, but they also all called me in March to say "wow, did you call it! How did you know this was going to be a big deal?" Feels like Groundhog Day. Their kids didn't get sick over the summer so they think no masks during the dancing is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - 10 or less per class per mandate, so ignore my 15 students comment.

ID mom here -- our classes were cut to 8 and we had to change locations to make it more accommodating. We just started indoor classes after masked outdoor all summer -- though I saw plenty of schools posting with indoor classes even this summer. Big no for us.

I don't know if you saw but Mid-Atlantic just postponed their Os until January (still may cancel) which is the same weekend as your's. I can't imagine Mid-America is going forward but there definitely seems to be a more lackadaisical approach to rules in that region.

Interesting - thanks for the info. Our governor has actually been very forward leaning thankfully, but still it's disappointing to see how this is unfolding.

[Anonymous]

I found this item on the topic. It doesn't claim to be 100% accurate, but the date on dancing with/without masks around covid is helpful

https://www.thedancedocs.com/episodes/dancing-in-a-mask

[Anonymous]

No, but we aren't doing any indoor activities right now so you lost me from the start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, but we aren't doing any indoor activities right now so you lost me from the start.

OP here and we haven't either. This is the first one we are considering and it's gone over like a lead balloon.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

OP here - these pictures make me think this is what it will look like. I keep thinking these must be pre-Covid.

https://www.startribune.com/it-s-hard-to-avoid-backspin-as-minnesota-dance-schools-reopen-during-covid-19/571620092/?refresh=true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I found this item on the topic. It doesn't claim to be 100% accurate, but the date on dancing with/without masks around covid is helpful

https://www.thedancedocs.com/episodes/dancing-in-a-mask

NP. Thanks for this link. Very useful. Sending it to my dancer DD at college.

I was glad to see the article came down on the side of wearing masks to dance. If only the huffing, puffing joggers and cyclists would realize they too CAN do those activities while masked just as dancers can dance while masked.

To OP, it's good that the Irish dance school says it won't let parents inside to wait. But I'd wager that the school, knowing parents also won't be there to see, will look the other way if students take off masks.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not

[Anonymous]

Yes