I hope this post finds everyone healthy and looking forward to 2021—2020 has certainly been a challenging year!
As many of you know, along with many other businesses, events, and classes, the Covid-19 pandemic shut down my Ballroom group classes, beginning on March 13, 2020 - and still to this day in December 2020.
It is now apparent that this shutdown of in-person Ballroom Group Classes will still be a fact for months yet to come in 2021—until such a time that enough vaccinations are distributed and Covid-19 is more “under control.”
Usually, every December, I set my group class teaching itinerary for the following year regarding what styles I will be teaching for both my Troy Community Center and OPC group classes. I always look forward to thinking ahead about what styles my students would like to experience and/or deepen their study of, but this December, I see that my group classes in 2021 still need to be put on hold.
With all the uncertainty that this pandemic has caused, and the fact that my group lessons may not run for many months into 2021, and considering that they occur during prime timeslots on Monday afternoons and evenings where I can teach my private lessons in—for 2021, I have had to make a tough choice.
I am not sure when vaccines will be widely distributed (projections seem to point towards the summer of 2021), how many people may feel comfortable taking them, or how the pandemic will affect people's overall comfort with partner dance in general and group classes in specific--all that "unknown" necessitates hard choices.
Given all the facts and COVID-19 considerations regarding groups of people, and my commitment to ensure the safety of all of my students and their families, I have decided to put my group classes on hold for 2021.
My two Monday Group Ballroom Classes are classified as seniors’ classes, which as we know, is considered a high-risk group for Covid 19. Therefore, with a sense of loss and a nod to the wonderful Ballroom programs we have had over the last 14 years at the Troy Community Center and the last 3 years at OPC, I have decided that the best choice for everyone is to not offer my Monday Drop-in Ballroom group classes for 2021.
While I am able to safely teach my private lessons (1-2 students and myself with our masks on and hands sanitized, in a large, open ballroom), group classes present a larger exposure risk to students and myself as these classes include people of different households, traditionally necessitate changing partners, and require students to be in dance hold (close proximity).
Even if class sizes were capped to match a safer percentage of room capacity/air flow, social distance protocols were strictly adhered to, and people of different households did not change partners, we have learned how contagious this pandemic is, and we must face the facts that a group Ballroom class would still present exposure risks, especially for indoor classes.
In addition, students who do not live with a dance partner would be forced to dance without a partner in such a group class—which defeats the inclusive purpose of a group ballroom class. I do not want to hold group classes that would limit or prohibit every student from having a chance to dance with a partner(s).
Therefore, I am postponing my Monday 1-2pm Troy Community Center classes for all of 2021 because most of my students do not live in the same household for this class.
I do hope that I may be able to safely conduct my Monday 7-8pm OPC Drop-in Ballroom Dance class, perhaps beginning the in the Fall of 2021, as many of my students at this venue do live in the same household; however, a start date is yet to be determined by Covid-19 considerations, vaccine efficacy, and safety considerations.
I want to thank all my students for the many years of comradery, learning, friendship, support, fun, dancing, and hard work! I have so enjoyed teaching my 14 years of teaching Ballroom Dance Classes at the Troy Community Center and my past 3 years teaching at OPC, and I will truly miss these classes (as I have for the past 10 months!).
I have been blessed to be able to resume safely teaching my private lessons in 2020, and that’s been a real joy in this year of multiple adjustments, and I look forward to continuing to teach my private lessons in 2021.
As we come to the end of 2020, let us go forth into 2021 with a renewed commitment to our health and well-being, and let’s envision a time where we can all meet back on the dance floor for our group classes.
I wish you and your families all the best for the Holidays and the New Year; please take care of yourselves and stay healthy.
Thank you again for all the memories, dancing, and kindness over the years.
Namaste,
Amy