Dance Parents

[mommyoffive]

What barre do you have at home?  

[lulubelle]

Galvenized pipes from Home Depot plumbing section.  Super easy and only about $80.  Easy instructions can be found online.  

[mommyoffive]

7 minutes ago, lulubelle said:

Galvenized pipes from Home Depot plumbing section.  Super easy and only about $80.  Easy instructions can be found online.  

That is what their home school used.  We made ones out of wood and they are not very stable.    You don't need any special saw to cut the pipe?  

[Lady Marmalade]

DS's dance season starts next week.  He's in the pre-company competition team and officially a substitute teacher for the studio.  They had a short summer session and a one week intensive in August.  Everyone is masking and they are going lite on the partnering this year.  I hope we're able to have a season, but I really have my doubts about it being anything resembling normal.

DD is back at college.  Some of her classes are online, but her dance classes are in person, and she has four of them this semester.  They have marked off the dance studio floors into 10 foot by 10 foot squares, and each student is assigned to the exact same square for all of their classes for the whole semester.  They will use the same space to warm up and participate in the class in.  This is so they can easily identify contact should a covid case come up.  Honestly, I think it's a brilliant solution!  Everyone is masking at all times.  DD was chosen as a student choreographer for their fall exhibition and she's super excited about that, as not many underclassmen get that opportunity.  The only bummer about the whole thing is that I won't get to see it in person.  I will have to watch it online after they've recorded it. 

[Farrar]

Our barre is a PVC pipe. I mounted it back when we thought this would be a month or two. Sigh. If I could go back in time, I'd pay real money to do it right, but at this point, I can't really - installing anything into brick is a huge pain. I had to get professional help.

Ds started back Zoom classes this week. He is glad to be back at it. And maybe a little sore. The basement "studio" is all his from 2 pm on every day now.

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, Lady Marmalade said:

DS's dance season starts next week.  He's in the pre-company competition team and officially a substitute teacher for the studio.  They had a short summer session and a one week intensive in August.  Everyone is masking and they are going lite on the partnering this year.  I hope we're able to have a season, but I really have my doubts about it being anything resembling normal.

DD is back at college.  Some of her classes are online, but her dance classes are in person, and she has four of them this semester.  They have marked off the dance studio floors into 10 foot by 10 foot squares, and each student is assigned to the exact same square for all of their classes for the whole semester.  They will use the same space to warm up and participate in the class in.  This is so they can easily identify contact should a covid case come up.  Honestly, I think it's a brilliant solution!  Everyone is masking at all times.  DD was chosen as a student choreographer for their fall exhibition and she's super excited about that, as not many underclassmen get that opportunity.  The only bummer about the whole thing is that I won't get to see it in person.  I will have to watch it online after they've recorded it. 

How great for them to be back in to be back in the studio .

 

[SanDiegoMom]

My daughter's class is doing a rotation -- for the classes that are too large they split up the class into two and they zoom one week and attend the next.  We feel very lucky to be able to do that.

My daughter is also very happy - she was evaluated when she came and placed in a level a lot lower than expected.  I dug down deep and kept super positive and talked only about why that might have happened (things she learned from her old studio might need to be unlearned, she had uneven progress the last few years just because the studio was so small). And she was just determined to keep working as hard as she could so that when the time came she would get moved back into the Intermediate/Adv levels.  Well it only took a week, lol.  She's been working with a private teacher all summer (zoom) so I think whatever was rusty or weak got fixed.  Or just needs of the studio, or.... who knows.  But I am super proud that she didn't get discouraged immediately and with good grace danced her very best even though she was very much the oldest one in the group.  It takes a lot of courage to do that, especially when it's combined with a cross country move leaving all your good friends behind!

We are lucky enough to have been gifted a barre, though we are unlucky enough to have moved into a house almost half the size of our last one! I know my daughter misses her basement! Now she is right in the living room. We are going to put up a tension rod and hang a curtain to give her a little privacy. 

[mommyoffive]

17 minutes ago, Farrar said:

Our barre is a PVC pipe. I mounted it back when we thought this would be a month or two. Sigh. If I could go back in time, I'd pay real money to do it right, but at this point, I can't really - installing anything into brick is a huge pain. I had to get professional help.

Ds started back Zoom classes this week. He is glad to be back at it. And maybe a little sore. The basement "studio" is all his from 2 pm on every day now.

You wish he had a wood or metal one?      

We have a studio in the basement too.  We some days have multiple kids doing different studios and levels.    I kind of would like to make it the entire basement.   We also have a smaller marley space in a bedroom.                   We were considering having the kids switch schools to one doing in person classes.  I do wish we were doing that some days.  But we are just doing zoom for now.   I am loving that I don't have a 2 plus hour commute plus the hours of classes. 

Edited September 9, 2020 by mommyoffive

[mommyoffive]

2 minutes ago, SanDiegoMom said:

My daughter's class is doing a rotation -- for the classes that are too large they split up the class into two and they zoom one week and attend the next.  We feel very lucky to be able to do that.

My daughter is also very happy - she was evaluated when she came and placed in a level a lot lower than expected.  I dug down deep and kept super positive and talked only about why that might have happened (things she learned from her old studio might need to be unlearned, she had uneven progress the last few years just because the studio was so small). And she was just determined to keep working as hard as she could so that when the time came she would get moved back into the Intermediate/Adv levels.  Well it only took a week, lol.  She's been working with a private teacher all summer (zoom) so I think whatever was rusty or weak got fixed.  Or just needs of the studio, or.... who knows.  But I am super proud that she didn't get discouraged immediately and with good grace danced her very best even though she was very much the oldest one in the group.  It takes a lot of courage to do that, especially when it's combined with a cross country move leaving all your good friends behind!

We are lucky enough to have been gifted a barre, though we are unlucky enough to have moved into a house almost half the size of our last one! I know my daughter misses her basement! Now she is right in the living room. We are going to put up a tension rod and hang a curtain to give her a little privacy. 

Yay that she gets to be in there half the time.  Congratulations to your dd!  Hard work pays off.  

[Farrar]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

You wish he had a wood or metal one?      

We have a studio in the basement too.  We some days have multiple kids doing different studios and levels.    I kind of would like to make it the entire basement.   We also have a smaller marley space in a bedroom.                   We were considering having the kids switch schools to one doing in person classes.  I do wish we were doing that some days.  But we are just doing zoom for now.   I am loving that I don't have a 2 plus hour commute plus the hours of classes. 

I wish it was wood. And had better, stronger brackets. I totally jerry rigged it. It's fine - it's not going anywhere. It's probably as decent as a freestanding one.

I rearranged the furniture pretty dramatically in the basement and removed a number of things. He has enough space to dance now... but he can't jump because the ceiling is so low.

[lulubelle]

No cutting with the metal pipes.  You just buy the length you want.  They are pre-threaded to easily twist together with the elbow joints.  
 

We followed ballerinas by night YouTube video how to make a ballet barre.  Shows exactly what to buy.  You just determine the length.

Edited September 10, 2020 by lulubelle

[mommyoffive]

On 9/10/2020 at 5:04 AM, lulubelle said:

No cutting with the metal pipes.  You just buy the length you want.  They are pre-threaded to easily twist together with the elbow joints.  
 

We followed ballerinas by night YouTube video how to make a ballet barre.  Shows exactly what to buy.  You just determine the length.

Thanks so much.  I was just going to buy a portable one, but they don't seem very stable either.  They have some metal and wood ones on ebay and Amazon that are not very expensive that look nice, but they don't have reviews. 

[CAtoVA]

My daughters changed studios after seven years because their "old" studio was only doing the week on Zoom, week off in studio rotation type of classes. And they are requiring masks for all classes the entire time starting at age 3. To accommodate any trouble with dancing and wearing masks they are purposefully slowing down and reducing all dance movements as much as 75%. I had to read that twice in their policies to believe what I was seeing. There is no reduction in the price of classes, however. We switched studios because Zoom classes in spring were more than enough for both (they hated them). One daughter has migraines triggered by mask wearing and exercising and she is at a pretty high level in most areas of dance. Dance studios can choose to operate like a gym (10 feet distancing and no masks while exercising) so luckily we have found another studio that is doing that. My daughter is now actually able to dance "full out" and does not have to worry about migraines. It's been a great change, actually.

We are in an area with about 400 "active" cases out of 160,000 people. About 50% of the cases are in nursing homes and incarceration centers. Hospitalizations are flat and there hasn't been a death in about two months. No children have been seriously ill or have died. Every death except one has been in the 70 + range age (the exception was an already very sick man in his 50's).

Edited September 13, 2020 by CAtoVA

[fourisenough]

How are all your dancers holding up? DD has been dancing in person at MCBS all fall, but due to the surge, they’re switching to virtual classes through the end of December. DD is taking a 2-3 week break to deal with tendinitis in her foot. It stinks to be out, but it’s good timing. She’s home and staying fit by riding a stationary bike (the cycling shoes are as rigid as her surgical shoe and don’t allow her foot to pointe or flex!). Ironically, we may have to fly her back to Miami because she’s scheduled to take the ACT there in December. I’m sort of hoping it will be canceled (but it’s at a tiny private school that is still in person, so not likely). Seems unsafe/unwise to be flying unnecessarily right now. Ugh, I’m tired of the uncertainty and having to make constant risk/benefit assessments.
 

I’m dreading having to make audition videos for SIs. Sort of hoping her preferred programs just offer live Zoom auditions. Seems unlikely any SIs will even run next summer, but lots could change before then!

I hope your families are healthy and enjoying some downtime together this holiday weekend!

[mommyoffive]

37 minutes ago, fourisenough said:

How are all your dancers holding up? DD has been dancing in person at MCBS all fall, but due to the surge, they’re switching to virtual classes through the end of December. DD is taking a 2-3 week break to deal with tendinitis in her foot. It stinks to be out, but it’s good timing. She’s home and staying fit by riding a stationary bike (the cycling shoes are as rigid as her surgical shoe and don’t allow her foot to pointe or flex!). Ironically, we may have to fly her back to Miami because she’s scheduled to take the ACT there in December. I’m sort of hoping it will be canceled (but it’s at a tiny private school that is still in person, so not likely). Seems unsafe/unwise to be flying unnecessarily right now. Ugh, I’m tired of the uncertainty and having to make constant risk/benefit assessments.
 

I’m dreading having to make audition videos for SIs. Sort of hoping her preferred programs just offer live Zoom auditions. Seems unlikely any SIs will even run next summer, but lots could change before then!

I hope your families are healthy and enjoying some downtime together this holiday weekend!

 

Thanks for bumping this.  I was wondering how everyone is handling it. 

I have seen a lot of places say they will be offering Zoom auditions.  Miami City is doing that.  Not sure how well that will go. There are so many technical problems with online stuff.   My kids haven't been in a studio since March.  So with the hard parts that are being taught over zoom, I just don't think that this year is going to be very productive for them.  Honestly I would love them to just get back into the studio this summer at their home school and not go away.  We have 2 schools that are an hour one way for us.  The one hasn't offered in person classes at all since March and only did virtual classes since Sept.  The other had their in person summer intensive and has some in person classes.  We live in a state that is having a horrible surge right now, and I don't think we will step into a studio until we have our vaccine.  And not sure how that plays out for kids.  I am hoping one of those options will be open for them come summer. 

We made a huge studio in our basement with a sprung floor and all my kids are still dancing.  Taking advantage of the things that come up.  They did their summer intensives at home.  Those were run great.  DS just did the November ABT intensive.  Their home studio is offering more classes, so we will do that.  Some of my kids are using their home studio and others like Ballet West.  DS is using our home school and a place that trains all boys.  I hope that they can come out from this on the other side as strong as they were before Covid.  Not sure how much progress they are making, but they are still dancing so that is something.   We are just trying to support their love and hope that soon they can be back to real dancing.  They miss it a lot and want to get back to a real class.  

[fourisenough]

29 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

We made a huge studio in our basement with a sprung floor and all my kids are still dancing.  Taking advantage of the things that come up.  They did their summer intensives at home.  Those were run great.  DS just did the November ABT intensive.  Their home studio is offering more classes, so we will do that.  Some of my kids are using their home studio and others like Ballet West.  DS is using our home school and a place that trains all boys.  I hope that they can come out from this on the other side as strong as they were before Covid.  Not sure how much progress they are making, but they are still dancing so that is something.   We are just trying to support their love and hope that soon they can be back to real dancing.  They miss it a lot and want to get back to a real class.  

We really debated installing a sprung floor, but decided against it. I sort of wish we had just gone for it back in March. I’m glad your kids are making good use of theirs! 
 

I think I remember what state you’re in and the news about the COVID rates there is staggering. Hope you & yours stay safe. My oldest is a new ICU nurse at a huge hospital system in NE Ohio. She’s feeling a rising sense of panic in the staff/administration. Last week, they had over 1,000 care givers out with symptoms. She’s been off for a few days and is dreading returning to work on Monday knowing that the situation is worsening. 

Edited November 28, 2020 by fourisenough

[mommyoffive]

2 hours ago, fourisenough said:

We really debated installing a sprung floor, but decided against it. I sort of wish we had just gone for it back in March. I’m glad your kids are making good use of theirs! 
 

I think I remember what state you’re in and the news about the COVID rates there is staggering. Hope you & yours stay safe. My oldest is a new ICU nurse at a huge hospital system in NE Ohio. She’s feeling a rising sense of panic in the staff/administration. Last week, they had over 1,000 care givers out with symptoms. She’s been off for a few days and is dreading returning to work on Monday knowing that the situation is worsening. 

 

Oh wow your oldest is amazing.  I can't even imagine going through this pandemic as a nurse.  Let alone a new one.  I will be thinking of her and sending prayers of safety and strength.  She is a hero.  1,000 staff from the hospital out?  That is so many.   I am hoping that the vaccine is given to the doctors and nurses really soon. 

We are in Wisconsin and it is bad and is probably only going to get worse for awhile.   Had I known how this was really going to play out we would have put in the floor a lot sooner.  We got it done right before summer intensives started.    We just had to extend it because with 5 kids in classes at different levels from different places we would have a few people in class at the same time.  

 

What did your dd do for summer?   

My kids did SAB and ABT from home.  It was really well done and I am glad we took the chance.  I mean of course being in person is a lot better, but the programs were super well run.  My kids felt like they learned things.  It kept them connected to the dance world, when their school didn't do classes for  6 months.  It was great for my son too so he could connect with other boys who dance.  He had a group of 2 others who were into dance at his old studio that were older than him.  But they didn't come back to the virtual classes at all.  So it was great for him to "take" classes with other boys around the world who love to dance.  

Edited November 28, 2020 by mommyoffive

[mom2scouts]

DD is still going to dance. It's the only social activity she's getting at all and the only time she ever leaves the house, so we are risking it. They have every possible precaution in place and dancer's have to leave masks on the entire time. They are also supposed to do classes on Zoom if they don't want to wear masks, have been with a group of people, or have any symptoms at all. DD had a bit of a runny nose last week, so she decided to do Zoom classes as a precaution. We got an email this week that they are splitting the classes to make them even smaller since Covid cases are surging here. Students who can't or don't want to move to the new class (days and times changed) can attend their current class on Zoom. They're trying to be proactive so we don't have to go back to all online classes.

[fourisenough]

@mommyoffive My DD did Chautauqua’s SI virtually from home. It was very well-done! However, she says she won’t do another virtual SI. If most are virtual this summer, she’ll just stay at Miami City. (MCBS has done a remarkably good job of safely remaining open through all of this; dancing full-out with a mask on is just no big deal to them at this point!)

[mommyoffive]

1 minute ago, fourisenough said:

@mommyoffive My DD did Chautauqua’s SI virtually from home. It was very well-done! However, she says she won’t do another virtual SI. If most are virtual this summer, she’ll just stay at Miami City. (MCBS has done a remarkably good job of safely remaining open through all of this; dancing full-out with a mask on is just no big deal to them at this point!)

I am wondering what a lot of them are going to do this summer.  I am sure they have to know with regards to putting deposits on the residence halls or whatever.  I haven't seen anyone but SAB mention what they are doing with regards to being in person or virtual.    Yeah, I would much rather them do an in-person intensive than a virtual.  Although I don't miss spending 2 or 2.5 hours a day 6-7 days a week driving them there.  🙂  The "commute" downstairs is much easier.  

[mom2scouts]

I don't know how many of you have tap dancers, but Gregg Russell died this week. 

Rhee Gold 

November 26 at 1:01 PM

After a conversation with Tessa Zimomra this morning, she has asked me to share the following information with the dance community.

On Sunday the family went for a COVID-19 test because Gregg was feeling a shortness of breath. On Monday, the results came back positive.

Not long after arriving home on Sunday, Tessa thought Gregg was having a seizure, but it turned out to be cardiac arrest. The paramedics arrived to work on him at home and again at the hospital, but to no avail. There are formal procedures that must happen before we have definitive answers.

Working theories are that it was a blood clot or a massive heart attack. Both of which are associated with COVID-19.

Tessa adds, "Thank you for the condolences and love that you have shown me, Lucy Claire and our family. We were ALL grateful to have had Gregg in our lives."

-Rhee

https://www.dance-teacher.com/gregg-russell-tap-2649044286.html

Edited November 29, 2020 by mom2scouts

[kiwik]

We have been back to normal since about July (NZ) but ds11 is very much a recreational dancer.  He is fairly good at it at that level and it is great for his ASD but unless his body shape transforms at puberty his shape is never going to work.  Though he likes two best so maybe shape is less important than for ballet.

[fourisenough]

1 hour ago, mom2scouts said:

I don't know how many of you have tap dancers, but Gregg Russell died this week. 

Rhee Gold 

November 26 at 1:01 PM

After a conversation with Tessa Zimomra this morning, she has asked me to share the following information with the dance community.

On Sunday the family went for a COVID-19 test because Gregg was feeling a shortness of breath. On Monday, the results came back positive.

Not long after arriving home on Sunday, Tessa thought Gregg was having a seizure, but it turned out to be cardiac arrest. The paramedics arrived to work on him at home and again at the hospital, but to no avail. There are formal procedures that must happen before we have definitive answers.

Working theories are that it was a blood clot or a massive heart attack. Both of which are associated with COVID-19.

Tessa adds, "Thank you for the condolences and love that you have shown me, Lucy Claire and our family. We were ALL grateful to have had Gregg in our lives."

-Rhee

https://www.dance-teacher.com/gregg-russell-tap-2649044286.html

Just read the linked article. What a tragic loss. Thanks for sharing.

[mommyoffive]

11 minutes ago, kiwik said:

We have been back to normal since about July (NZ) but ds11 is very much a recreational dancer.  He is fairly good at it at that level and it is great for his ASD but unless his body shape transforms at puberty his shape is never going to work.  Though he likes two best so maybe shape is less important than for ballet.

So jealous of New Zealand and Australia.   So amazing that you have a country that protects everyone.  So great that your ds can be in the studio.  

[YaelAldrich]

My daughter was in two ballet studios (one regular, strict but not pre-professional, and the other, strictly for social time - other Orthodox Jewish girls) until covid. The good studio went virtual, the other one just restarted in October in person with distancing and masks. She dropped the virtual studio. Now she has knee issues so she's not doing pointe. 

[teachermom2834]

Where i live we have plenty of COVID spread in the community but everything is pretty much carrying on as normal. Schools are in with very few modifications, mega churches having full sanctuaries, sports and other high school activities still going on, etc. 

My 12 yo dd has been dancing at a small studio since May. She gets to dance four days a week.  She got pointe shoes and decided to try tap and has been preparing for a Christmas recital coming up in two weeks. She is loving it and thriving and so happy. 
 

This is the only activity we are participating in outside the house. She wears a mask as does the teacher. She is only exposed to a total of five other students in her classes. But those kids are in school and out and about so my dd is pretty exposed. I made the decision to let her continue. I don’t have complete peace about it but it is the decision we have made. I am under no illusion it is “safe.”

None of us here is high risk but I still don’t want to get it. But I know we might and I guess I’ve accepted that risk. 
 

She is having such a great year and it has brought such happiness during this time. I guess we’ll see if we get lucky and get through it without issue. It is difficult to stay home for a year when nothing else in your community is acknowledging the pandemic at all. Sigh.

[kiwik]

4 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

So jealous of New Zealand and Australia.   So amazing that you have a country that protects everyone.  So great that your ds can be in the studio.  

But remember your kids who are serious about dance have opportunities similar kids here don't.  We don't have heaps of SI opportunities and most kids wouldn't live within commuting distance of a studio that would offer more than a couple of hours training a week.  In fact I did a survey and there was only one school I could find that had more than one hour lesson a week per level before about teen age grades.  The exception you could have done 3 if you did an open class.  You could do a couple more by going out of level but doing primary or grade 1 as a senior dancer may not be very helpful.  

And there are plenty of people who think we shouldn't have locked down and should follow the US.  The difference is they are not in charge and the media don't allow them too much air time. And we can control the borders more easily even than Australia.

[iamonlyone]

Our dd25 is a professional ballerina, and it has been a tough year to stay in shape!

Although her company has not been able to do much, she has been able to dance with Digital Dance Project, a innovative collaboration of choreographers and professional dancers from around the nation who are seeking to reimagine choreography in a digital space. If you're interested in seeing what they're up to, you can check it out here: https://digitaldanceproject.org/

Giving them a plug: They have an upcoming show "Snowed In" that features "new works by musicians from across the nation, including a Nutcracker Suite reimagined for jazz music." If you're interested, you can purchase one $20 ticket for everyone to watch together. The money from tickets is split among the dancers and choreographers, which has been a help for dd!

[mommyoffive]

10 hours ago, teachermom2834 said:

Where i live we have plenty of COVID spread in the community but everything is pretty much carrying on as normal. Schools are in with very few modifications, mega churches having full sanctuaries, sports and other high school activities still going on, etc. 

My 12 yo dd has been dancing at a small studio since May. She gets to dance four days a week.  She got pointe shoes and decided to try tap and has been preparing for a Christmas recital coming up in two weeks. She is loving it and thriving and so happy. 
 

This is the only activity we are participating in outside the house. She wears a mask as does the teacher. She is only exposed to a total of five other students in her classes. But those kids are in school and out and about so my dd is pretty exposed. I made the decision to let her continue. I don’t have complete peace about it but it is the decision we have made. I am under no illusion it is “safe.”

None of us here is high risk but I still don’t want to get it. But I know we might and I guess I’ve accepted that risk. 
 

She is having such a great year and it has brought such happiness during this time. I guess we’ll see if we get lucky and get through it without issue. It is difficult to stay home for a year when nothing else in your community is acknowledging the pandemic at all. Sigh.

I am glad she has been safe thus far.  I hoping that she doesn't get exposed to Covid and your family stays safe.  I am glad that it is bringing her so much joy.

 In our state it is on and off on what is running and what is not.  For the most part our state is acting like nothing is going on.  After the court struck down the gov's order to stay at home in May, all the rules just fell.  Some dance studios were holding classes.  Actually the other ones we used to go to and the other top ballet school were.  High school is having sports.  Lots of schools were doing face to face school.  But the city where their school is has shut workout classes down.   We are not high risk, but we don't want to roll the dice with this virus and I don't feel right about being part of the spread.  I am hoping that we don't have to make the choice until a vaccine is out and we are able to get it. 

[mommyoffive]

10 hours ago, YaelAldrich said:

My daughter was in two ballet studios (one regular, strict but not pre-professional, and the other, strictly for social time - other Orthodox Jewish girls) until covid. The good studio went virtual, the other one just restarted in October in person with distancing and masks. She dropped the virtual studio. Now she has knee issues so she's not doing pointe. 

I am glad she is able to still do Face to face classes.  They are so much better than virtual classes. 

[mommyoffive]

7 hours ago, kiwik said:

But remember your kids who are serious about dance have opportunities similar kids here don't.  We don't have heaps of SI opportunities and most kids wouldn't live within commuting distance of a studio that would offer more than a couple of hours training a week.  In fact I did a survey and there was only one school I could find that had more than one hour lesson a week per level before about teen age grades.  The exception you could have done 3 if you did an open class.  You could do a couple more by going out of level but doing primary or grade 1 as a senior dancer may not be very helpful.  

And there are plenty of people who think we shouldn't have locked down and should follow the US.  The difference is they are not in charge and the media don't allow them too much air time. And we can control the borders more easily even than Australia.

Wow, I didn't know that finding classes for dance is that tough there.  We have thought of moving overseas once in a while and the kids always bring up if there would be a place for them to dance.  That is hard to deal with I am sure.   I am glad you found a place for your ds to dance.

I can't believe there are people there who think you guys shouldn't have locked down, when they see what has happened here.  I wish we would have.  

[mommyoffive]

7 hours ago, iamonlyone said:

Our dd25 is a professional ballerina, and it has been a tough year to stay in shape!

Although her company has not been able to do much, she has been able to dance with Digital Dance Project, a innovative collaboration of choreographers and professional dancers from around the nation who are seeking to reimagine choreography in a digital space. If you're interested in seeing what they're up to, you can check it out here: https://digitaldanceproject.org/

Giving them a plug: They have an upcoming show "Snowed In" that features "new works by musicians from across the nation, including a Nutcracker Suite reimagined for jazz music." If you're interested, you can purchase one $20 ticket for everyone to watch together. The money from tickets is split among the dancers and choreographers, which has been a help for dd!

Kudos to your dd for getting through this year.  I worry so much about the pro dancers that we know. I hope that the companies are going to get through this.  I hope that they don't close down.  I am so impressed by all the artists and what they  have been able to do during this time.  It has been so creative and amazing.  

We are constantly watching lots of dance at home now.  It has been so great to be able to see so projects and shows.  

[iamonlyone]

3 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Kudos to your dd for getting through this year.  I worry so much about the pro dancers that we know. I hope that the companies are going to get through this.  I hope that they don't close down.  I am so impressed by all the artists and what they  have been able to do during this time.  It has been so creative and amazing.  

We are constantly watching lots of dance at home now.  It has been so great to be able to see so projects and shows.  

Yes, it's so rough for artists! We are concerned for her company. The directors are a husband/wife team who started the company and an associated school years ago after they finished their professional dancing careers. I'm concerned for them and the company since they don't have another income stream outside of the company/school.

[Lady Marmalade]

DS is in studio 3 days a week, but this whole experience is really challenging his love for dance.  Our studio is masks and social distancing all the time, except for when actually running the dances, then they can be closer than 6 feet.  They eased up on masking restrictions for a time, and that's when several people in the studio came down with covid.   DS has asthma, so dancing full out with a mask is a huge struggle for him.  When covid was being passed around he took a few weeks off because as a boy, he still has to do lifts when they run the dance, one two of the girls he regularly lifts were some of the covid casualties, and it kind of made him mad that everyone would be so cavalier about covid.   The kids were still running around outside of the studio, and the choreography wasn't modified at all for a time.   He finally had a meeting with the competition director and is back in classes right now, but he doesn't currently have that spark with regards for dance.  I hope it comes back.  😞

No Christmas shows here, which is bittersweet for sure.  On the one hand, not having to do all the running around for multiple Christmas shows this year is extremely welcome.  On the other hand... DS might have been the Cavalier this year for the Nutcracker and when I think about that I get mad at covid for stealing so much from our dancers this year.  

We are forging ahead with a competition season, however.  We received our schedule, with the first competition in February.   We're assured that the intentions are for the competitions to be held, however they may schedule them using block scheduling, grouping each studio seperately and having them all dance and then clear the space so it can be cleaned for the next group.  I am SOOOO not excited about that idea, but it is what it is.  We'll likely save money on not needing hotel rooms if they do block scheduling, AND all but one competition is actually in state or nearby, so we can travel back and forth the day we're scheduled to dance.  It'll be strange for sure. It's kinda surreal to think that by the time we get to see the dances, it'll have been almost a full year since we last saw these kids dance on stage. 

They're planning for spring recitals- not sure how that's going to look yet, but everyone bought costumes for the year, and I suspect while they're working with venues to try and hold in-person recitals, they're coming up with a Plan B for a virtual option.

And at the end of all this, we're in such a hard place right now because DS is trying to decide what he wants to do with his life, and he's always wanted to dance.  The arts are taking such a beating right now, it's hard to encourage him to work towards that goal when there are other interests also taking shape that might make sense in a post-pandemic world.  He's in his junior year of high school here at home with me, and neither of us are sure how to progress. 

[mommyoffive]

16 minutes ago, Lady Marmalade said:

DS is in studio 3 days a week, but this whole experience is really challenging his love for dance.  Our studio is masks and social distancing all the time, except for when actually running the dances, then they can be closer than 6 feet.  They eased up on masking restrictions for a time, and that's when several people in the studio came down with covid.   DS has asthma, so dancing full out with a mask is a huge struggle for him.  When covid was being passed around he took a few weeks off because as a boy, he still has to do lifts when they run the dance, one two of the girls he regularly lifts were some of the covid casualties, and it kind of made him mad that everyone would be so cavalier about covid.   The kids were still running around outside of the studio, and the choreography wasn't modified at all for a time.   He finally had a meeting with the competition director and is back in classes right now, but he doesn't currently have that spark with regards for dance.  I hope it comes back.  😞

No Christmas shows here, which is bittersweet for sure.  On the one hand, not having to do all the running around for multiple Christmas shows this year is extremely welcome.  On the other hand... DS might have been the Cavalier this year for the Nutcracker and when I think about that I get mad at covid for stealing so much from our dancers this year.  

We are forging ahead with a competition season, however.  We received our schedule, with the first competition in February.   We're assured that the intentions are for the competitions to be held, however they may schedule them using block scheduling, grouping each studio seperately and having them all dance and then clear the space so it can be cleaned for the next group.  I am SOOOO not excited about that idea, but it is what it is.  We'll likely save money on not needing hotel rooms if they do block scheduling, AND all but one competition is actually in state or nearby, so we can travel back and forth the day we're scheduled to dance.  It'll be strange for sure. It's kinda surreal to think that by the time we get to see the dances, it'll have been almost a full year since we last saw these kids dance on stage. 

They're planning for spring recitals- not sure how that's going to look yet, but everyone bought costumes for the year, and I suspect while they're working with venues to try and hold in-person recitals, they're coming up with a Plan B for a virtual option.

And at the end of all this, we're in such a hard place right now because DS is trying to decide what he wants to do with his life, and he's always wanted to dance.  The arts are taking such a beating right now, it's hard to encourage him to work towards that goal when there are other interests also taking shape that might make sense in a post-pandemic world.  He's in his junior year of high school here at home with me, and neither of us are sure how to progress. 

I am so glad your ds stayed well while covid hit the studio.  Nerve racking.  That would be so hard to dance in a mask with asthma.  I can see how the whole thing takes a lot of joy out of dance.  I can't wait for all these kids to be able to really dance again.  Face to face without restrictions.  

I am with you 100% on the bittersweet thoughts of not having Nutcracker.  It sure is a lot of work and effort on the parents.  I am super sad that I don't get to see my kids in it this year.  😞 I am trying hard not to think about it. 

I hope your competition season goes well. 

That is so hard to be a kid on the cusp of deciding what to do in dance.   Never would I have thought of this happening when my kids have said they wanted to be dancers.   I am sure we will see the effects of this pandemic on the arts when they are actually able to run for real again.  Will people be comfortable going to a show in fall?  I hope that companies can stay afloat, dancers are not let go, that new dancers can find jobs, and that dance can thrive again.  

Wasn't your dd a dancer too?  Is she still dancing? 

Edited November 29, 2020 by mommyoffive

[Guest]

FWIW, I just got the email that all the dance classes at my center will be requiring masks full time now. Previously, the kids have been able to take masks off when they are spread out at the Barre or on the floor, and only needed to put them on for things like partnering, or if they were out in the hall. We did our piano recital (one parent per student, other audience members on zoom) last weekend and a lot of the dance kids watched from the hall. It's harder for them to have a recital even with just one parent because there are enough of them that they'll quickly hit the occupancy limit-while each class is limited to 10 due to social distancing requirements, they often are using all three dance studios, plus two of the larger classrooms at a time because they have so many sections (which, unfortunately, means that they are using the room over my studio. Hip hop isn't bad, but I could live without the teen/adult beginning tap class). 

 

[mommyoffive]

Can we talk about audition season?  What are you doing?  Where are your kids auditioning?  Are you only thinking about auditioning to places that are planning virtual intensives?  Are you not planning on auditioning to any places and just hoping to do one in person at your local school?  I am so looking for advice and suggestions on how you are handling this crazy odd audition season.  I don't have other parents to talk to about it and bounce ideas off of.  

[Hilltopmom]

My dd 18, a senior, quit dance between Thanksgiving & Christmas. There was some catty girl stuff going on with girls who had gone away to college but come home due to Covid & returned to the studio. She wasn’t enjoying it anymore after the long break in the spring and the zoom lessons.

 I thought for sure she would finish out senior year since they reopened in person- she had been so excited about her senior solo. I’m SO glad she was able to do a Jr year solo last year at their only competition in January in NYC before things shut down!

I’m also very glad we hadn’t yet ordered $1,000 worth of costumes this year! And I’m enjoying not running out every night to drop off and pick up.

it’s the only exercise she has ever done though so she’ll need to find something else I guess.

She’s interning in early childhood and applying for preschool jobs now instead.

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Hilltopmom

[fourisenough]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

Can we talk about audition season?  What are you doing?  Where are your kids auditioning?  Are you only thinking about auditioning to places that are planning virtual intensives?  Are you not planning on auditioning to any places and just hoping to do one in person at your local school?  I am so looking for advice and suggestions on how you are handling this crazy odd audition season.  I don't have other parents to talk to about it and bounce ideas off of.  

My DD will do one Zoom audition (to a program she has attended previously) and will submit an audition video to the program she did virtually last summer. She will not do another virtual program— both of these are planning in-person SI’s. If the SI she chooses gets switched to a virtual format at any point, she’ll withdraw and just stay at her year-round school (Miami City). She doesn’t feel a virtual program is worth the time/effort/money for her purposes. 

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, fourisenough said:

My DD will do one Zoom audition (to a program she has attended previously) and will submit an audition video to the program she did virtually last summer. She will not do another virtual program— both of these are planning in-person SI’s. If the SI she chooses gets switched to a virtual format at any point, she’ll withdraw and just stay at her year-round school (Miami City). She doesn’t feel a virtual program is worth the time/effort/money for her purposes. 

It is so great that she has Miami City to train at and stay for summer if the others don't work out.  Miami has been open since summer right?  They even had their intensive in person correct?  Have there been any outbreaks at the studio?  I just saw a news clip on the Today Show about how they did the Nutcracker outdoors.  I was wishing that was an option here.   It seems like they have a good set up there on how to keep having classes and still be proactive on Covid. 

[fourisenough]

4 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

It is so great that she has Miami City to train at and stay for summer if the others don't work out.  Miami has been open since summer right?  They even had their intensive in person correct?  Have there been any outbreaks at the studio?  I just saw a news clip on the Today Show about how they did the Nutcracker outdoors.  I was wishing that was an option here.   It seems like they have a good set up there on how to keep having classes and still be proactive on Covid. 

Yes, they did an in person SI last summer and were dancing in the studios until Thanksgiving. They finished the semester virtually and will return to the studios 1/4. They seem to have a good system. The students are expected to adhere to their strict protocol; with just a couple minor exceptions, it has worked beautifully. One week they cancelled classes and required all students to get a negative test before returning after learning a few students broke protocol by attending a Halloween party. After traveling home for the holidays, all students must have two negative PCR tests before returning to class. There have been no outbreaks at the school or among company members, to my knowledge. 
 

I guess the outdoor Nutcracker run has gone very well. Some students are performing with the company and others are understudies. My DD has had a foot injury (possible stress fracture since early November, so she has been out of class/had restricted participation since then, but she got to attend the tech rehearsal. She thought it was a clever use of technology and live performance. 

[mommyoffive]

8 hours ago, fourisenough said:

Yes, they did an in person SI last summer and were dancing in the studios until Thanksgiving. They finished the semester virtually and will return to the studios 1/4. They seem to have a good system. The students are expected to adhere to their strict protocol; with just a couple minor exceptions, it has worked beautifully. One week they cancelled classes and required all students to get a negative test before returning after learning a few students broke protocol by attending a Halloween party. After traveling home for the holidays, all students must have two negative PCR tests before returning to class. There have been no outbreaks at the school or among company members, to my knowledge. 
 

I guess the outdoor Nutcracker run has gone very well. Some students are performing with the company and others are understudies. My DD has had a foot injury (possible stress fracture since early November, so she has been out of class/had restricted participation since then, but she got to attend the tech rehearsal. She thought it was a clever use of technology and live performance. 

That is so wonderful that they have been successful having in person classes.  Gives everyone else some hope and a model of how to do it right. 

I am sorry to hear about your dd's injury.  When is she going to be able to start dancing again? 

[Farrar]

We're doing zoom auditions. My big question has been whether he should choose more backups in states that haven't had virus precautions. I know it sounds awful, but I really want him to be able to dance in person, even though it will have been a solid year. I think he'll have been able to get the vaccine before SI's start if what officials are saying about distribution timelines is true. But I don't assume that large cities in responsible states will necessarily have been able to open.

[fourisenough]

7 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

That is so wonderful that they have been successful having in person classes.  Gives everyone else some hope and a model of how to do it right. 

I am sorry to hear about your dd's injury.  When is she going to be able to start dancing again? 

She’s going to begin taking class on Monday. She’s done 4 weeks of full rest and a couple more with modified activity, so we’re hoping she’s pain-free. She hasn’t been en pointe in 7 weeks, so it should have healed. Ex-rays look good and PT doesn’t see much reason to continue resting. 

[fourisenough]

2 minutes ago, Farrar said:

We're doing zoom auditions. My big question has been whether he should choose more backups in states that haven't had virus precautions. I know it sounds awful, but I really want him to be able to dance in person, even though it will have been a solid year. I think he'll have been able to get the vaccine before SI's start if what officials are saying about distribution timelines is true. But I don't assume that large cities in responsible states will necessarily have been able to open.

Come to Florida! They don’t even seem to realize there’s a pandemic going on here! 🤪 Even though MCBS has been very careful and responsible, there’s no way they would have remained open in most other states (for better or for worse?)

[mommyoffive]

4 minutes ago, Farrar said:

We're doing zoom auditions. My big question has been whether he should choose more backups in states that haven't had virus precautions. I know it sounds awful, but I really want him to be able to dance in person, even though it will have been a solid year. I think he'll have been able to get the vaccine before SI's start if what officials are saying about distribution timelines is true. But I don't assume that large cities in responsible states will necessarily have been able to open.

I don't think it sounds awful at all that you want him to dance in person.  That is what I want too.  My kids haven't been in person since March.  There are 2 ballet schools an hour from us and one has been running in person this whole time.  I would honestly just want them to dance at their home school or the other one this summer if they could do it in person.  That is great that he will have the vaccine.   My kids are currently not old enough to get it.  Honestly with all the news of the slow roll out of the vaccine, I am wondering if that puts us further out from getting it? 

It is so hard to decide things because while a state looks bad right now, it might not in 6 months.  

I thought your son's school was going back in person? 

[mommyoffive]

3 minutes ago, fourisenough said:

Come to Florida! They don’t even seem to realize there’s a pandemic going on here! 🤪 Even though MCBS has been very careful and responsible, there’s no way they would have remained open in most other states (for better or for worse?)

Yeah, that is so true.  I couldn't believe they were operating in the surge that Florida was having. 

[teachermom2834]

7 minutes ago, Farrar said:

We're doing zoom auditions. My big question has been whether he should choose more backups in states that haven't had virus precautions. I know it sounds awful, but I really want him to be able to dance in person, even though it will have been a solid year. I think he'll have been able to get the vaccine before SI's start if what officials are saying about distribution timelines is true. But I don't assume that large cities in responsible states will necessarily have been able to open.

Are you looking at Nashville? My niece is trying to go there. They are even advertising an in person junior intensive in June. I don't know anything about what intensives are good or not I just would think Nashville would be likely to go. 

[mommyoffive]

7 minutes ago, fourisenough said:

She’s going to begin taking class on Monday. She’s done 4 weeks of full rest and a couple more with modified activity, so we’re hoping she’s pain-free. She hasn’t been en pointe in 7 weeks, so it should have healed. Ex-rays look good and PT doesn’t see much reason to continue resting. 

Fingers crossed that she is all healed up and feeling good.

[mommyoffive]

Just now, teachermom2834 said:

Are you looking at Nashville? My niece is trying to go there. They are even advertising an in person junior intensive in June. I don't know anything about what intensives are good or not I just would think Nashville would be likely to go. 

Why?  Do they have low numbers or something?