Dance Teacher Letter

“Embrace and grow your passion for dance during this time, it will fuel your positivity.”

Sadie Staten - Principle & Founder, First Avenue Ballet & Disco Babies

Dear me,

My first piece of advice is to never underestimate the power of positivity in a crisis.

At the start of Covid-19, the world went into lockdown. I thought that my business would end, I would lose my pupils and also my studio. I spent the first two weeks grieving for a loss that hadn’t happened yet. After two weeks of no dance in my life, I picked myself up and realised how much my mental and physical wellbeing relied on it. When I choreograph, I feel the music, visualise routines and whole performances so I have been grateful for more quiet time to listen to music and be even more creative. It’s been a lifeline. Embrace and grow your passion for dance during this time, it will fuel your positivity.

Open your mind to new ideas.

I could never have imagined using technology to teach dance, but I now strongly believe it will give more people access to the discipline in the future. People don’t have to leave their homes, they can participate in classes and receive the same personal feedback on technique. They can, in some cases, feel more relaxed and confident and less intimidated by being in their own space. Teaching dance has probably changed forever. Even when the studio re opens, I will use Zoom to hold parent meetings and offer extra practices before exams and performances.

Give it your all.

Teaching virtually has taken some adjustment. It requires so much more energy to execute but the results are brilliant and a huge reward in itself. The positive feedback to the classes has been overwhelming and it inspires me to given even more knowing I have enabled children to continue with their passion as well as supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.

Be open to new ideas

In the past, I’ve not really enjoyed teaching grown-ups but one of my dance parents persuaded me to do an adult class. We gave it a go one day and Ballet and Bubbles was born! It is a really fun Friday evening class with lots of chat and giggles. It has proved to be a much-welcomed activity for my mums who have had to navigate a challenging week of work and distance learning.

Whilst it is not very easy at all juggling life through lockdown, it is important to keep going. I found new ways to be creative and embrace the changing world around me. The human race is very resilient and will always find new ways to innovate.

I really like my new routine and now rather enjoy a much slower pace of life.