clASS SAFETY GUIDELINES

We have made and will continue to make every effort to keep ALL of us safe and healthy. Each dancer is asked to put her street shoes and belongings in a pre-disinfected plastic box upon arrival. The boxes are placed on the floor more than 6 feet apart and we ask the arriving dancers to use a box that is not the closest one to a dancer who arrived prior to her arrival. The dancers are asked to use a sanitizer wipe or gel after changing into ballet shoes. As soon as dancers have on their ballet shoes younger ones are instructed where to stand on the gym floor. They are spaced more than 6 feet apart in every direction. We do not dance in circles holding hands, use scarves or do exercises in lines or other formations where dancers are less than 6 feet (usually 8-10 feet) apart. Older dancers find a space on the wall (barre) with stacked wooden benches (more than 6 feet apart) between dancers. At the latter part of class they come away from the wall to the center of the floor and are spaced a minimum of 6 feet apart. The walls are wiped down with alcohol wipes after each class.

The gym is a full sized basketball court with additional borders around all four sides. It has an extremely high ceiling and air circulation system installed to ventilate basketball games adequately.

Dancers are asked to wear masks. With younger children, masks can be touched, taken off and on repeatedly. They can slip down or up out of proper position. This is why we are so careful to maintain distance and limit class size.

The CDC guidelines recognize that younger children (e.g.,preschool or early elementary aged) may not be able to wear masks properly, particularly for an extended period of time. Wearing masks may be prioritized at times when it is difficult to maintain a distance of 6 feet from others. The CDC also recognizes that people who are engaged in high intensity activities, like running, may not be able to wear a mask if it causes difficulty breathing.

As dancers are dismissed, they are asked to sanitize their hands again. Dancers exit from a separate door from the entrance door. The bins are disinfected before use by the next class.

I wish the dancers could see under my mask what a big smile is on my face just seeing them! I hope you all know how much they were missed and how determined we are to have a wonderful safe ballet home.

We will keep you up to date on permanent location progress. In the meantime, thank you for believing with us and understanding that all of the new normal procedures are making it possible for us to be together again.

See you next week,

Mrs. Cooper