HUMBOLDT — Humboldt’s two dance studios have moved all their classes to the internet.
Impact Dance Company has been conducting their classes through Zoom, a remote internet conferencing service.
“It gives us a chance to see the dancers and try and keep their routines fresh in their minds in hopes that we will get to compete later in the spring,” said Terralea Armstrong, Impact’s co-owner.
She said that their first week of classes went great and she could see the excitement in the dancers to be able to keep dancing in the comfort and safety of their own homes.
“This is a hard time of the year to be away from our students because this time of the year is the time we all work so hard to get to.”
Signup for Impact classes can be found at impactdancehumboldt.com.
For A-List Dance & Acrobatics, the online lessons involve Alyssa Hinz, owner of A-List Dance & Acrobatics pre-recording her lessons, sending them out per week.
“I feel like the kids need some sort of normalcy in their lives right now, and stay active and have something to do while they’re at home,” Hinz said. “They have something to look forward to every week.
Current students range from age two to 18. New classes have been created for youth from two to six years of age.
The classes can be re-watched and will remain available.
“So that’s something that’s different, that they don’t have to be there at a specific time, and I think that really works for a lot of people,” Hinz said.
“Some might have to miss a week because their parents have a longer shift that week.”
Supplementary materials are also included such as a breakdown of specific steps, and goal setting pages.
Signup for A-List classes can be found at alistdanceandacrobatics.com.
Hinz said it’s an uncertain future for her business.
She said that in some cases, competitions have already received parents’ money, and it isn’t clear if there will be a refund.
“I’m not really sure what is going to happen and how long this goes on, because right now all our competitions are cancelled, and I don’t know if they will be rescheduled.”
She said if current pandemic measures stay consistent; the studio will be prevented from doing their annual end of year recital.
This is bad news for Hinz, who said this is one of the most effective ways to show the success of her students and encourage new dancers.
“That’s also a big marketing thing, so I don’t know how it’s going to affect my enrollment, not being able to show all the stuff they learned this year,” she said.
“I’m still keeping my summer classes where they are, but I’m not sure if that will be happening either, and I have instructors booked from out of the province to come fly in.”
Hinz and some of her Grade 11 to 12 students are also offering a free errand and grocery pickup for members of the community in self-isolation.
To contact them, call 306-231-9084. This service is available to all community members, regardless if they are involved with the classes or not. For a fee, babysitting services are also offered.
