Maintaining your normal dance routine while staying home and social distancing can seem almost impossible to do, but we are fortunate to live in a time where we can take classes from anywhere (even your kitchen!). By remaining positive, continuing to stretch, and with the help of technology and tools like Instagram Live, and Zoom, we can maintain our routines and keep our dance skills in shape.
“Keep walking through the storm. your rainbow is waiting on the other side.”
Heather Stillufsen
The dance community is really feeling the effects of what’s going on in the world right now, but if we all do our part in taking preventative measures like staying home and social-distancing, we’ll be back to the studios and stages we love before we know it! For now, all we can do is stay healthy, stay in (social-distancing!), and stay in shape. We have to keep our spirits (and our battements) up!
Keep Stretching
It’s time to hit those splits! Come up with a stretch routine that you can do every day. To do this, you might cover some of the stretches you would do in your regular dance classes and add more from there. For a little added motivation, you can also make a stretch chart and check off what you have accomplished each day and track your progress! Continuing to stretch while away from your studio is important for staying in shape.
If you’re feeling extra productive, you can section off your stretches for warmups and cooldowns that go with any online classes you’re taking. Plus, this is something you can make routine and continue doing even when it’s time to go back to dance classes at the studio!
Take an Online Class!
There are so many options out there when it comes to taking a class online. We are so lucky that we have our phones and computers to give us access to helpful tools to find classes. Many studios are offering classes online with programs like Zoom where you can video chat with your dance class and receive the training you are familiar with. If your studio isn’t able to do that, don’t worry! There are other options, too.
“Every day is another chance to get stronger and be the very best version of
Maeve Madden
you!”
Instagram is a major source of classes right now. There are many different classes for every dance style happening on Instagram Live and being uploaded to IGTV every day. Many professional dancers and teachers are keeping their followers up to date with when they are going to go live to stream classes, so make sure you’re following your favorite people! You can also check out YouTube for step-by-step tutorials to guide you through almost every single style of dance you can imagine. Now is the perfect time to try something new and get inspired!
A great option for ballet dancers is from the Cindies, American Ballet Theatre principles James Whiteside and Isabella Boylston, who give a fun ballet class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with barre work, center, and pop music to get you going!
Stay Inspired
One of the most important things to remember during uncertain times is that we are all in this together. Stay positive. Stay happy. Stay inspired. One thing you can do to stay positive is head to Showstopper’s Instagram page (@goshowstopper) for daily inspiration from fellow dancers, info on the best online classes to take, powerful performances, and endless dance content!
You can also look for inspiration in books and magazines. While I have some extra time on my hands, one of my favorite reads right now is Showstopper Magazine. The new 2020 Vision edition is all about dreaming big and building your future! Every single page is magical (and you may even spot a familiar face inside.) Also, the current issue is available for free right now.
“When you dance your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. Its to enjoy each step along the way!”
Wayne Dyer
Find inspiration in your own progress! During this period of staying at home, my sisters and I have been watching our old dance videos from Showstopper competitions. We can’t help but smile as we watch ourselves on stage through the years! It can be fun to revisit the judges’ critiques and encouragement to see how far we have come as dancers. Think of watching yourself onstage as inspiration to keep going and stay in shape because all we want to do is get back out there! I know I’m never going to take those special moments onstage for granted! Keep it up because the day we get to be back in the studio with our teachers and friends is just going to be that much sweeter!
While we may have the unknown in front of us just remember, we are all in this together! Stay home, practice social-distancing, dance from home, keep stretching, and stay positive! Share your dance videos and positive messages with Showstopper by using the hashtag #ifyoulovetodance on Instagram.
