Covid-19 Policies

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To help keep all dancers safe, please follow these guidelines!
Our policies are in accordance with current guidelines and recommendations.  As such, they may periodically change as more information becomes available.

Before Class

1.  Ensure that your dancer and all members of your family are healthy!  Please keep your dancer at home if they or a family member is feeling ill or has been potentially exposed to Covid-19.

2.  Make sure your dancer is dressed for ballet with hair done and uses the bathroom before leaving home.

3.  Dancers coming straight from school or another activity should change there if possible.

4.  Fill a water bottle for your dancer and make sure it is labeled with your dancer's name.  Please note that any unlabeled water bottles will need to be thrown out if left at the studio.

5.  Have your dancer bring the least number of items possible into the studio. 

Example 1: Dancer enters studio in just their dance clothes with ballet shoes and water bottle in their hands.
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Example 2: Dancer enters studio wearing pants or shorts over their dance clothes with a small bag holding ballet slippers, pointe shoes and cell phone, and carrying a water bottle.

6.  Masks are currently required in the studio.  Please make sure you have a new mask for each dance day (washed before the next use for your dancer's safety).  If possible, have your dancer put on a fresh mask right before ballet.  

***  Cloth masks are the best, as they catch droplets (the reason for wearing masks) but are still breathable.  Dancers should practice putting on and taking off their masks before coming to the studio. 

*** Please make sure that your dancer's mask fits properly.  Masks that are too loose fall down during class, and masks that are too tight can cause the dancer to mess with it during class, potentially spreading germs.

*** Based on current research, normal face masks are requested instead of neck gaiters or face shields.

Arriving at the Studio

1.  Dancers should be dropped off at their specified time (5 to 15 minutes prior to official start time based on class).

2.  Baby Ballet and Pre Ballet Parents may walk their dancers up to the studio door and come in to help their dancer get on shoes as long as they practice social distancing. Until restrictions are eased, all waiting areas are closed.

Parents of new and trial dancers are also welcome to walk their dancer into the studio the first week of class (please arrive 10 minutes prior to class start time to do so).
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3.  All dancers (and parents)​ must wear a mask when entering the studio.  Please have siblings wait for you in the car.

4.  To aid with social distancing, please wait outside on the sidewalk until the hall is clear before entering.  One "car" of dancers in the hall at a time.

Entering the Classroom

1.  Dancer should line street shoes up neatly by the wall.

2.  Dancer should use hand sanitizer upon entering the studio.  Dancers may use their own sanitizer, or the sanitizer provided by the studio.

3.  Dancer will choose a spot at the barre (these will be marked with tape).  Each spot will have a plastic tray for water bottles and other belongings.

​4.  Dancers may do stretches at their barre spot while waiting for class to start.

5.  Dancers need to keep masks on until told it is okay to remove them.  At this time, dancers are wearing masks at all times while inside, except for quick drink breaks at their spots.

6.  Dancers who need longer breaks will be allowed to go outside so they can remove their mask for a bit.  

Please note:  we will follow any mask mandates set forth by the local government (country, state or city), so this information may change as we progress through the year.

During Class

1.  Dancers should use hand sanitizer when returning from the restroom and after blowing their nose, etc.

2.  Spots at the barre and in the center will be marked to make social distancing easier.  Each dancer will choose their barre spot for the evening upon arrival.

3.  Windows will be kept open as often as possible to allow for extra ventilation. (We do need to close them when it is raining and for winter weather.)

​4.  We will follow current social distancing guidelines throughout class to the largest extent possible.

5.  Until restrictions are eased, we are unable to accommodate parents watching class.

6.  Classes with dancers missing, due to illness or an increase in cases in the area, will be streamed (either live stream or via video conferencing) so those dancers may still participate.  When possible, please let me know in advance if your dancer needs to stay home.  

After Class

1.  Dancers will remove their dance shoes and gather their belongings, waiting by their barre spot.

2.  Dancers will be called one at a time to leave the studio, allowing each dancer to put on street shoes and leave the building before the next dancer moves into the hall.  Hand sanitizer will be available for dancers who wish to use it before leaving the studio.

Between Classes

1.  Miss Zachari will sanitize trays for student's belongings as they exit.

2.  Once all dancers have left the classroom, the barre will be sanitized.

3.  Once all dancers have left the studio, the bench in the hall and the door handles will be sanitized.

​4.  The next class may begin to enter as soon as the door handles have had a chance to dry.

Other Details

1.  We now have cubbies in the dressing room!  At this time, the dressing room is closed, but once it opens please note that these will only be sanitized at the end of the night, so talk with your dancer about if you want them to use the cubbies or not.  All dancers will be assigned a cubby regardless of if they use it or not.  Nothing is allowed to be left on the bench, on the floor, or in the waiting area.

​2.  The bathroom and dressing room will be sanitized at the end of each night.

3.  The studio now has UV lights that will be turned on at the end of the night to kill any germs that have collected on the floor.  

Virtual Classes and Meetings

1.  All dancers registered for classes will have the option of taking class virtually via live stream during their regular class time.  This is helpful for when your dancer is feeling fine, but needs to stay home because a family member is sick or has possible exposure to covid-19.  Please note, virtual classes are intended for when a dancer is ill or there are extenuating circumstances that necessitate staying home a particular week.  They are not intended to take the place of in person classes, so as always please try to schedule other reasons for absences (vacations, parties, etc) around ballet.
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2.  If your dancer does not already have an account on Band.com, please set one up prior to starting class.  Each class level will have its own "Band" within the site, which provides a secure way for dancers to connect with the studio and each other outside of class.  For the safety of the dancers, this is the only way dancers can access the link to take class virtually (links will not be emailed out to families or posted on any other sites).  Each Band will also include class specific resources (stretching guide, barre warm ups, documents related to recital dances, etc).

3.  The studio will make use of Zoom on a "full studio basis" as needed.  This may be if the studio needs to temporarily close due to a spike in covid cases, bad weather causes a snow or "cold" day, or if Miss Zachari isn't feeling well and wants to avoid spreading germs.  Zoom has the benefit of Miss Zachari being able to see and correct the dancers in real time, as well as the dancers being able to ask questions.  If Zoom needs to be used, the link will be posted on Band, and an email will be sent out to parents regarding the change in class for the day.

4.  To aid with social distancing, all Parent/Student meetings this year will take place via Zoom.  Please familiarize yourself with the platform on your chosen device prior to the first meeting.  If you have any questions regarding using Zoom, please contact the studio.

Masks

There is a lot of debate over wearing masks during physical activity.  Research shows that wearing a mask is safe as long as the following conditions are followed:
1.  The dancer wearing the mask is able to put it on and take it off by them self.
2.  Rest and water breaks are given as needed.
3.  Dancers gradually increase the amount of aerobic activity done in a mask each week to get used to it.

As such, please be aware that classes will be structured to allow dancers to increase what they are able to do while wearing a mask.  This means that early classes in the semester will focus more on barre work and adage, with allegro patterns being added in as the term progresses.  Dancers choosing to enroll mid-season should practice both with and without their mask on at home to build up to the activity level of their classmates.

Dancers have been wearing masks without ill effects for many decades (for example, the Nutcracker prince and Rat King often wear full head masks while doing large jumps and fast steps in the battle scene).