As COVID-19 has spread over the globe and made its way into our country, county, city, community and homes, we each find ourselves affected differently. As parents, we have worries related to keeping our families safe and healthy, providing food and necessities that have been scarce, finding ways to protect-educate and offer a new sense of normalcy for our children, while creating ways to keep them calm, entertained, productive. The children all feel confused, cheated, afraid, restless, aggravated. Certainly they all are warranted in these feelings, however, we certainly ache for the class of 2020.
Our graduating seniors, who were celebrating the first of many lasts this school year (last first day school, last first dance competition/game of the season, are now uncertain they will get to experience and have closure experiencing these milestones. Proms, spring break plans, graduations, Senior week, end of the year shows and musicals all have been vanishing from the calendars of our seniors. We asked our class of 2020 dancer how they are doing, what their fears are, what they are doing in the interim while they wait out the executive order, how they are staying positive and what we as a dance studio can do to help them through this confusing time.
All three girls expressed disappointment, fear and sadness at the idea they may not get to see their hopes of prom, graduation and special senior oriented school privileges and ceremonies come to fruition. All three dancers have faith we will return to our lives again - and that we will be stronger and more appreciate as a result, but offered these thoughts:
- Bria stated she thinks a lot about the people who have it much worse than she does-those that are less fortunate, very ill with the virus, have lost loved ones. She also said she has avoided being on social media as much, to remain positive.
- Brynne is signing up for college classes, looking to the future as a promise to stay positive. She is disappointed her college orientation now must happen online, missing the chance to be on the campus meeting classmates.
- Juliahn has been using her time at home in quarantine to explore hobbies she says busy schedules have made easy to be forgotten or overlooked, like cooking and painting. She says this time has taught her not to take things for granted-acknowledging how fortunate she is to have had access to public school and extra curricular activities like dance.
Dawn, one of our Senior’s Mom’s, has said as parents, they are instilling positivity and hope by speaking “when”, not “if”! Framing what is left of the senior year in the hope that a few “lasts” will still happen, just not as originally expected. She offered that her personal struggle and goal is to listen to her child actively-meaning allowing her child to express her frustrations and feelings without jumping in and putting words in her mouth. She says they are practicing withholding advice unless it is asked for and trying not to “fix” something when her daughter only wants to be heard.
As a dance studio, we have extended online classes to the dancers, to dance at home! We have these classes interactively, so that we may see the students, communicate, create a sense of normalcy and remain connected to them all!
It was recommended to also create small group “meetings” to check in on the dancers, allow them to all see their teammates and chat with each other to further stay connected. We are committed to recital, no matter what that means. We will reschedule-as late as necessary to assure the kids of all ages get their chance to shine and finish their dance season as they should. We also are working alongside the dance competitions to reschedule the regional events these dancers have missed.
We know students who play spring sports, like dancers, have had the same issues and feel lost without their outlets, the ways to express who they are and opportunity to find closure in their high school careers.
We wish health, peace and patience for everyone out there. We are confident in us as teacher, parents, the community, county and country that we will find ways, be creative and go all out for these children who have been affected so intensely by this virus and the loss of their senior experience. We are truly better together.
