Studio Protocols

It is our desire as a studio to create a safe environment where artists, actors, and dancers can learn and perform. To this end, and in consideration of current health concerns, the following highlights protocols we are implementing to provide for a safe and effective learning outcome.

Students/Actors/Performers

  • If you are feeling ill, have a temperature, or know you are sick, respect your fellow students/performers and avoid coming to class.
  • When in the foyer and in class, respect each dancer/actor’s “personal bubble”. This helps prepare performers for performances to not only learn to fill stage space, but also to understand the dynamics of using your own personal space effectively. (In Covid terms – stay 6′ apart)
  • Aim for a high degree of personal hygiene. Washing hands and using sanitizing products help not only to avoid transferring any possible viruses, but also keeps things clean.
  • We want to remind our students that though we want to enjoy our classes, we also want to treat our dance, drama, music, and stage combat classes with a degree of discipline. Discipline creates character, poise, respect, and good inter-personal skills (it provides for respectful and enjoyable class spaces).
  • Students are asked to come to their class with their required attire already on, and only the necessary items for the class (their own personal water bottles, dance shoes, any props required, etc.). We do appreciated that on rare occasions students may have to change in the washrooms – however if the entire class has to change – that does eat up valuable teaching time.
  • The use of Masks – we are following the Manitoba Government recommendations on the use of masks. With that in mind, we encourage students to wear a mask into the building and be prepared to wear one if physical distancing while waiting to go into your class becomes difficult. Classroom usage will follow the Manitoba Health guidelines. Please be prepared regardless.
  • Please avoid lots of excess backpacks and we encourage students to try to be in their class attire when they arrive. We suggest that a simple dance bag might be better for shoes and accessories.
  • For a more fluid flow of people entering and exiting classes and the facility, please respect the designated entrances and exits for each class. With that in mind, we do ask parents to be prepared for drop offs and pickups at designated times. If a parent/guardian is to be late due to an unforeseen circumstance, please try to communicate with your child or the studio to ensure solid communication.
  • Classes will run from the designated start time and will run 55 minutes for 1-hour classes and 40 minutes for 45 minute classes to allow for transition, cleaning, etc.
  • Students will enter the studio through the main door just prior to class and wait in the auditorium hallway for classes in the auditorium and in the designated area for classes in the Ballet Studio.
  • When exiting the building, students will leave through separate exit doorways for smooth transitions. Parents are asked to meet them outside.
  • If you feel unsafe in any respect during a class, please share that with your teacher or studio staff – communication is key.
  • During performance season, where missing a performer could greatly affect a show, we have further recommendations we discuss to reduce risk and support healthy choices.
  • DanceWorks continues to monitor the most current health orders to ensure that we operate in such a way as to honor our governing authorities while still providing an opportunity for our young dancers/actors/performers.

Parents and Guardians

  • Your support and trust is VERY appreciated! Know that it is our desire to try our best to protect, support, encourage, and stretch each of our performers with the aim to build a life-long enjoyment of the discipline of your child’s interest.
  • As each class is a discipline of its own, and as the students have their own degree of responsibility to perform on stage, we do ask that you respect the work of the teachers by avoiding sitting in on classes and any rehearsals. Your student performs very differently when you are around. Other students also feel uncomfortable having “strangers” sit in on their class.
  • We still want your involvement! At designated times throughout the year we will have parent nights, mini-performances, recitals or videos sent home where we strongly support your presence in the class or performance or to watch the videos released (and encourage your performer accordingly). Your student and the teacher looks forward to having you there during these times.
  • We encourage parents to drop off their student (ready to go) at the specified times and pick up at the specified times (please note that a 1-hour class will run 55 minutes and a 45 minute class will run 40 minutes to allow for transitioning).
  • As we need to try to keep the flow through our foyer smooth and not congested, we unfortunately do not have enough room for multiple parents to sit and wait and also allow for the suggested room for physical distancing.

Studio Measures

  • Regular sanitizing of barres and surfaces throughout each evening.
  • Regular cleaning of floor spaces (with products which sanitize and yet do not degrade the ballet floors).
  • The use of a new sanitizing fogger to help with the overall sanitization of the building.
  • Increased measures for efficient traffic flow.
  • Increased washroom sanitizing.
  • Careful usage and sanitizing of any props used during classes.
  • Monitoring of physical spacing – using this as an opportunity to teach students better stage presence and performance with measured spacing, expression, etc. Class size limitations are taken into consideration with room size.
  • Consideration of choreography to reduce personal contact, or to do any contact within the guidelines recommended.
  • The strong recommendation and encouragement that should any students or staff become ill/sick to remain or return home (for any illness which can be spread) in respect for one another (if concerned about missing class material – certain arrangements can be made)

Online Considerations

Recognizing the value of “face-to-face” education as being the ideal, we would prefer to keep classes going as much as possible. We recognize that there could be, at a moment’s notice, inclement weather, gathering restrictions, or other complications which could create gaps. To that end we are working towards the following outcomes:

  • Preparing actors/dancers from the start in terms of using online Videos and Zoom sessions
  • Turning the challenge of online classes into an opportunity to teach students additional elements of their dance (videos on historical elements of their discipline, videos on such practical elements as how to make the proper hair bun for ballet, weekly warmup videos which students could watch over and over, weekly choreography videos for students to practice routines – which they need to be doing regardless)
  • Carefully planned Zoom sessions during the student’s regular class times for instructors to keep working on class material and recital choreography.
  • Offering opportunity for guest instructors to join the class to help broaden the experience of our dancers.
  • If Zoom is required, we will send out additional instructions for parents and dancers at that time.
  • The studio has prepared, in varying degrees, to have the appropriate technology to make the online classes as good as possible: high-speed fiber internet connections, teacher training and experience from last year, special cameras for improved visuals (demonstration, etc.), separate screens for teachers to better see students

Recitals and Performances

  • Ideally, it is our desire to have a full recital as we have had in previous years (allowing for multiple performances in an efficient manner for our guests), however this may not be a reality for some time.
  • Our second option would be to run multiple mini-recitals through the week at the Kenmor. Unfortunately this means that there would only be one recital opportunity for each class and students/families in multiple disciplines may be at the theatre all week watching various performances. There would also be a restricted number of audience members allowed.
  • A third option would be, as per this past year, to video-tape each class during the week of dress rehearsal and then have a recital viewing at the Star Dust Drive-in later in spring (once editing was finished).
  • Instead of asking families to do additional fundraising throughout the year to help subsidize costs (like many other studios do), DanceWorks and Candlewick uses Recitals and Performances to help with numerous program costs and to keep student fees more affordable.
  • Our goal is to continue with these events not only to keep pricing affordable and to avoid fundraising, but more importantly to give our students the opportunity to perform and share what they are learning.
  • We want to thank all the parents, family, friends, and patrons who come to these live events not only to support the studio, but more importantly our performers.

We will continue to monitor and adjust protocols as things develop over the course of the year. We appreciate our dancer, actor, and parental support/understanding as things fluxuate.