UPDATED - 11th January 2022
Thank you for coming here to read this. We have given a lot of thought to how we can return to classes safely and here is our statement so far. As the situation changes so will this, so we may need to update it quite regularly. It’s not short, but it is important, so please read on.
Of course what we really want to do is give all of our students a HUGE HUG, but that isn’t possible at the moment.
We have been successfully running our group classes since May, and from September started to incorporate some voluntary mixing of couples in classes, but at present we are back to fixed couples in classes until the situation improves a little. Below are the details of the safety measures we have in place for you.
Venues
We will only run classes in venues where we are happy with their capability and approach to cleanliness and disinfecting of our rooms and the facilities, as well as their other safety procedures in place.
Both Pilrig Church Hall and Cockenzie House have been amazing and are taking this very seriously. They are both implementing extensive and thorough cleaning procedures and ways to move people around the building the safest way possible.
Our New venue - The Old Dr Bell’s Baths is wonderful and very professional, so we have every faith that the classes will go well there.
Your Health
Class particpants will need to be healthy (no COVID19 symptoms) and not under any quarantine or local lockdown restrictions. If someone has to cancel a class due to ill-health, we will arrange a credit for the missed class.
Students will have their temperature checked upon arrival with a non-contact thermometer.
Our Health
We will only teach if we are healthy (with no COVID19 symptoms).
We are both doubly vaccinated and have had our boosters.
We have lateral flow tests at home and will test ourselves before group classes.
If we have to cancel the class due to our ill-health, we would credit the students so you can have a replacement class.
Hygiene
All class participants will be expected to sanitise their hands on entrance and exit. We will have longer gaps between classes to allow time to sanitise surfaces before, after and in-between classes.
We will sanitise our own hands regularly.
Social Distance
All of our classes will be run with physical distance (1m) between participants/couples. Dance Couples can dance together normally, but will maintain 1m distance from other couples. At present the classes are fixed partner,
When we do re-introduce partner changing, we may limit the number of partner changes within one class, and there will be no obligation for couples to change partners if they would rather not do so.
For your safety, we will maintain physical distance from all students.
From 25th August we re-introduced circulation around the dance floor in our classes, in a controlled way, with markers to help dancers stay well-spaced. From January 2022 as a temporary measure we are returning to fixed places for all dance couples, but we will start to circulate again as soon as possible.
Class Numbers
In order to run the classes with social distance and also to reduce numbers in the building, we will have reduced class numbers. We have planned the space and can take a maximum of 15 couples with the space we would like to give you.
Fun and Tango
It is so lovely to see our students, and we know that it is great fun doing the classes, even with all the social distance. We had over a year of teaching onilne, and throughout that time we developed new skills in teaching without contact, and even without a 3D view of our students. This has really helped us as we return to this new format of classes.
Masks
Masks will be necessary for moving around the building, but not during class. As mentioned earlier, we will always maintain a distance from our students.
The Future
We will keep updating this statement to reflect the current situation and to keep us all dancing and safe. One step at a time ….