Returning to the dance studio safely (covid-19)

[raindance]

Facebook photos from my local studio that I mentioned previously where masks are optional per their email - just one person in photos is wearing a mask, and it's the oldest person in the room (75+). Other dancers and teachers range from middle aged to past retirement age, with no masks. Small group in the photos, which is safer than a big crowd at least.

I somewhat understand from a business perspective making masks optional, if allowed in one's locality, as people want to avoid offending those opposed to wearing masks. But it defeats the safety measure of masks considerably if only a few people are wearing them. I'm sad and worried for my fellow dancers. And for those who would feel safe(r) if everyone was masked, the optional policy means they won't feel safe going to the business (dance studio or other business).

 

[singndance]

Our studio is opening on Friday. Pro told me they are removing most of the tables and chairs, only two students in the studio at a time, hand sanitizer to be used by teacher and student several times before during and after the lesson, masks required, and more time between lessons to allow for cleaning. They are optimistic most students will return. From my discussions with other students in the 60+ age category, the majority of those returning are husband and wife couples who take lessons together. Most of the 60+ ladies are taking a very conservative approach about resuming in person lessons with the pros. I told my pro I prefer to keep with Zoom lessons for now and see how it goes after the studios and gyms in our area have been open for a few weeks. I'm not going back to the gym or yoga studio either.

In the end, everyone has to do what they feel comfortable with. But I fully intend to continue with my lessons. And I am so enjoying all the workshops that the pros are holding online, particularly people who I would never be able to take an in-person lesson with in a million years.

 

[raindance]

Great to hear your local case counts are so low, Larinda!

For contrast, the studio I mentioned above that is teaching in person lessons indoors in a small studio space with masks optional has over 60 new cases just since yesterday. Well over a hundred deaths in their county so far. And its neighboring county has an even higher daily new case count, and many more deaths. Hence my fears for our local dancers.

 

[David_In_CA]

I am teaching my first in person lesson to a couple on Thursday, in a park pavillion. So plenty of fresh air and space. It is not smooth or ballroom but rhythm so although the concrete floor isn't ideal it is not absolutely terrible either.

What kind of shoes do you recommend for that? I imagine concrete would tear up suede-bottomed shoes. Maybe hard leather or maybe those plastic bottomed dance sneakers?

 

[Purr]

For the next two weeks I plan on doing most of my work outside when possible and online when not. There is a beautiful park just a block down the street from my home so I can teach there and then be back in the house for another lesson online in about a minute.

Teaching outside at a park sounds awesome!

 

[IndyLady]

I had my first in-studio lessons yesterday at the studio. Unfortunately, the day was clouded a bit by some drama - one of my two instructors there left the studio over the weekend for another opportunity elsewhere, and the news was not directly communicated by the studio but ended up spreading via social media, so that added an extra layer on top of the existing uncertainty going into it.

Masks and gloves required - studio will provide (I had my own mask, but I hadn't known about the glove requirement until another student told me yesterday). Short health questionnaire before exiting lobby and entering floor. There was only one other lesson taking place during each of my lessons (I had a double).

Mask: I noticed that I never stopped breathing, or held my breath (a bad habit of mine in normal circumstances), so strange positive consequence there. It got a little hot/sweaty around the chin and I had to adjust to seeing it in my lower peripheral vision. My hands got a little sweaty after the first lesson. We were working on a fairly strenuous routine so that may have exacerbated that. We danced normally otherwise (in hold, not way apart). Same on the other lesson I observed. tbh, the hardest part was the super sticky (non-slick) floor, which I think was a combo of excessive cleaning and the humidity/rain we've been having.

I think the month of virtual lessons was beneficial for me, in terms of gaining independence and confidence in my movements. I could tell the difference. Of course, for some of the new figures I had learned during that time, it turns out that adding a partner whose lead I'm supposed to be following complicates the pattern I thought I had gotten down pretty well.

Don't get me wrong, it was not a walk in the park athletically, but it just felt like a good training session. Kind of like adding extra weights or whatever other tricks American Ninja Warriors in training do to up the ante.

So I'll be back next week for my standing, and we'll see how all this continues to play out.

 

[Warren J. Dew]

Great to hear your local case counts are so low, Larinda!

For contrast, the studio I mentioned above that is teaching in person lessons indoors in a small studio space with masks optional has over 60 new cases just since yesterday. Well over a hundred deaths in their county so far.

The studio has 60 new cases? Or their county has 60 new cases?

 

[Warren J. Dew]

Masks and gloves required - studio will provide (I had my own mask, but I hadn't known about the glove requirement until another student told me yesterday). Short health questionnaire before exiting lobby and entering floor. There was only one other lesson taking place during each of my lessons (I had a double).

I have a question on gloves. It's still cool in Massachusetts, so I've been wearing leather gloves just for warmth. Would the studio consider that to meet their requirement? I went to a store on Sunday and they sprayed my gloves with sanitizer, presumably thinking that they were there for protection.

 

[Purr]

I have a question on gloves. It's still cool in Massachusetts, so I've been wearing leather gloves just for warmth. Would the studio consider that to meet their requirement? I went to a store on Sunday and they sprayed my gloves with sanitizer, presumably thinking that they were there for protection.

Somebody sprayed your gloves? Did they ask your permission? And wouldn't that hurt the leather? I haven't heard of spraying gloves.

I haven't had anyone ask to spray sanitizer on me. I carry my own hand sanitizer. I do carry disposable gloves, too, but I don't put hand sanitizer outside the gloves - maybe I should???

 

[worddancer]

Had my first in person studio lesson this week. Also from a low count state.
We wore masks, and extended hand hold. Just one student/teacher in the entire studio.

The mask was hard for me. It took 1 hour after the lesson for my breathing and heart rate to stabilize. I mean it's doable, but it's like exercising in high altitudes.

Another student said he tried both cloth and N95 for ballroom dance but N95 was much easier to breathe in since there's space in the mask. I can't find anywhere to buy N95 mask so far.

 

[Warren J. Dew]

Somebody sprayed your gloves? Did they ask your permission? And wouldn't that hurt the leather? I haven't heard of spraying gloves.

They were at a little desk at the entry to the store, and they did say something first; it was clear I could turn around and leave the store instead. They were polite about it, and I think I could have said, "oh, these are for warmth, let me take them off" and had them spray the sanitizer on my hands instead, but I was too surprised to react.

I think they are being extra careful, and they are correct to think that gloves alone don't prevent potential spread by touching one surface - or one's face - and later touching another surface. They're being safe by ensuring that the outside surface of whatever passes for one's hands is clean.

I was a little worried about the effect on the gloves but I don't think one application will do much damage.

 

[raindance]

The studio has 60 new cases? Or their county has 60 new cases?

County, sorry. I was attempting to contrast with Larinda's county that had less than 60 cases total, vs. the county of the studio, that had more than 60 cases in just that previous day.

 

[raindance]

Had my first in person studio lesson this week. Also from a low count state.
We wore masks, and extended hand hold. Just one student/teacher in the entire studio.

The mask was hard for me. It took 1 hour after the lesson for my breathing and heart rate to stabilize. I mean it's doable, but it's like exercising in high altitudes.

Another student said he tried both cloth and N95 for ballroom dance but N95 was much easier to breathe in since there's space in the mask. I can't find anywhere to buy N95 mask so far.

Sorry to hear you had trouble with the mask. What sort of mask were you wearing? Do you have any health conditions (asthma, heart disease, etc)? That sounds like a long recovery time.

A properly fitted N95 mask (with a good seal, so it's effective) should be much harder to breathe through than a cloth mask or disposable mask (the dust masks and others, some of which look like surgical masks). An improperly fitted N95 mask is no more effective, and may in fact be less effective than the other types of masks, since one would be breathing around it and not through it, and thus not getting the filtering built into the mask. And most recommendations are that people don't need N95 masks outside of high risk exposures, such as health care workers doing procedures on sick patients.

So - instead of looking for an N95, I'd suggest you try a few things:

Try a different type of mask, such as a cloth mask with fewer layers or made from lighter fabric. Perhaps a bandana would be more comfortable, as that is looser.

Try a different type of disposable mask if available, perhaps a different style will work better for you. I think the styles with space in front may be called duck bill or similar.

Adjust what you are working on at the studio to decrease the level of exertion so you're not getting winded during the lesson. Maybe rumba instead of jive, more breaks in between working on things, slower technique drills, etc. You can build up to more intensity in your dancing either over time as you adjust, or with breaks, etc.

Pay attention to your breathing during the lesson (or any other type of exercise) to make sure you are taking normal breaths despite the mask. Maybe you're taking shallower breaths, or less frequent breaths, or both due to the mask.

Also, try a bit of exercise at home (where no mask is needed) and see if you're having the same problem. Maybe you're just a bit out of shape from quarantine, or maybe you have a new health problem that needs attention (in other words, perhaps it isn't the mask causing the problem, exactly).

Maybe others have other ideas for you. Hopefully something will work for you to make the mask more comfortable to dance in.

 

[Brummbaer]

Maybe others have other ideas for you.

I'm sure there must be other sites which show the results of tests on different materials, but try this. They did look at air passage through the material as well as efficacy. Remember that face coverings are to protect others, so it's about minimising YOUR aerosol; to protect yourself you need a well-fitting N95 mask and probably a visor (i.e. medical PPE). You don't just breath in other's aerosol; it also gets ingress through your eyes.

Personal face coverings also need to be washed frequently. I'm sure the disposable type are already mounting up somewhere as a pollutant and future problem.

 

[lucia_l]

I have a question on gloves. It's still cool in Massachusetts, so I've been wearing leather gloves just for warmth. Would the studio consider that to meet their requirement? I went to a store on Sunday and they sprayed my gloves with sanitizer, presumably thinking that they were there for protection.

I would have guessed they sprayed your gloves to protect others in the store. Leather gloves could carry virus. Few people wash their leather gloves everytime they go to the toilet. Most stores are heated so I'm surprised the store didn't request you put them in your pocket and just sanitize your hands.