How Cheshire Dance Centre Handled Covid Closure
Cheshire Dance Centre had nothing but their students safety in mind when our doors closed on March 15 for 14 weeks. We wanted to be sure that each family and child were safe, and we followed all the recommendations during that time.
Although no in-person classes were held, we kept our students engaged through contests, including a mask decorating contest (every student received a mask from us in the mail), coloring pages, personal phone calls, social media content and pictures, Zoom classes with our smallest dancers, Zoom calls with our Seibert Dancers, celebrations on social media of our graduating seniors missed prom, and more.
When we were allowed to re-open, the studio took every precaution to make sure our dancers returned to a clean, safe environment, including hiring ServPro to service the entire studio with a cleaning and special fog disinfectant. We were successful in holding 41 classes a week for six weeks, mornings and evenings, in-person and simultaneously on Zoom.
OUR COMMITMENT
• Dance floors will be cleaned and disinfected twice a day.
• Ballet Barres, light switches, door knobs and bathrooms will be disinfected before first class and in between all classes.
• Windows will be opened between classes to help air flow. Otherwise, air-conditioning and fans will be on to assist dancers and teachers while having to wear masks in classes.
HOW WILL PARENTS/GUARDIANS DROP CHILDREN OFF?
• Please remain in your cars until you see a staff member signaling your child to line up 6 feet apart at the front door. Students will be admitted one at a time until they have reached their studio. Teachers will be in the studios to greet them.
• Parents/guardians need to be waiting in their cars until they see their child ready to exit out the side/rear door where a Staff Member will be assisting in this process.
HOW DO STUDENTS ENTER THE BUILDING?
• We will have a one-way system in place. In the front door, out the side/rear door.
• No one except students and staff are allowed in the building. Our waiting/reception areas will be closed.
GROUND RULES
• Children like routine and clear rules to ensure everyone’s safety.
• They do not need to feel afraid or scared.
• It is very hard, but we must resist hugging someone we haven’t seen for a long time.
• The children will be excited to come back to dance not only because they love it but because we encourage social interaction and we enable them to meet new friends and learn from each other.
• We will consider a different form of gesture or movement that can be adapted and developed as a greeting.
• Parents, we will need your help in explaining carefully to your child the new rules and ways of greeting.
• Young children will have visual reminders about how to distance themselves.
When coming to classes this fall, here is what you need to know:
BE AWARE OF THESE COVID SYMPTOMS
• Dry cough
• Headache
• Temperature more than 100.5
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of smell or taste
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
Should your child, or our staff, exhibit any of the above symptoms, we ask that you stay home and use Zoom to continue classes.
Please remember, each situation and every workplace is unique and we will all have different challenges to overcome.
We look forward to resuming our classes and appreciate your understanding.
Two testimonies from our time closed:
“Thank you for adjusting to the circumstances and thank you for your hard work! We look forward to returning to dance!”
“We will make whatever happens work. Unprecedented times need flexibility and open minds. Good luck working everything out!”
