After months of being shut up in the house under quarantine and as the summer season rolls out full steam, it is a thrill to be able to return to some of our favorite activities! For us at WACAI that means dance class! Alseny Yansane’s All-Levels African Dance class will return to Xcape Dance Academy’s studio A (1645 Oak St) on Wednesdays, 6-7 pm from July 8th to August 19th. As always, this class will have beautiful choreography, fabulous live drumming, and provide an awesome full-body work out! Health and wellness are a priority for us so we wanted paint a picture for how things will look for returning to the studio before we meet up again on the dance floor.
In accordance with state guidelines and through a partnership between WACAI and XDA, the following protocols will be in place for dance classes. In compliance with the updated mandate that started last Friday, July 24th dancers are asked to wear face coverings at all times in the studio and outside in the parking lot when 6 feet apart physical distancing is not possible.
We realize that wearing a face covering while dancing in the Guinean style may seem like a daunting endeavor so we will be modifying the rigor of this class to accommodate for this. WACAI also invites participants to welcome these new regulations as an opportunity to dig deeper into their movement experience and focus more intentionally on their breath! As dancers and movers we are constantly being asked to stay present, open, and flexible to factors that emerge spontaneously throughout our practice and this new development is simply another chance to rise to this challenge.
Additionally, XDA will dry mop the studio floor in between classes, have hand sanitizer available, and the dance space will be ventilated through a combination of ceiling and floor fans while the garage door will remain open at all times for all classes. Students are asked to remove their street shoes before entering the dance space and to put all of their belongings together against the wall, along the periphery of the studio spread out approximately 6 feet from other students’ stuff.
Lastly, students should bring their own personal water bottles with enough water to stay hydrated for the duration of the class and be prepared to sweat, get an awesome workout, and have a great time knowing that it is possible to return to dancing while maintaining a safe environment for all! WACAI appreciates your willingness to be flexible and spontaneous and hopes to see you on the dance floor soon!
