During these quarantine times, it’s hard to stay in shape and maintain your sanity as routines are shoved out the window. Luckily there is a way to keep both in your back pocket: virtual dance classes! While it may be weird, it is definitely something to get your heart pumping and your dance moves in check.

  Junior Gwendaylan Aca is captain of Charter’s dance team and through these classes she has been able to maintain her form and connection to her fellow dancers. “Taking classes virtually is definitely a different experience, but it’s great because it allows you to take classes from a [variety of different] choreographers.” Class space is limited, especially when it comes to popular teachers, but with this change in direction branching out to different types of dances and teachers alike is in order!

  The question is how one can do it virtually, since it is not the same as if they were teaching you physically. Gwen says, “In the sense of picking up the dance, it’s not that different since dance is something you can learn by just watching.” While this has granted viewers a chance to try something new, there are struggles a dancer may experience. “The delay of video and audio is usually a bit off in a live class, so it can be difficult to see when in the music you’re supposed to do a certain move. [You could also say that when retaining the dance it’s challenging since] it’s a smaller view of them.” However, the experience is the same since a lot of choreographers use descriptive words in learning to do a move, so regardless if you see them or not you will still be able to catch on. 

  In fact other dance members are doing the same as they are keeping their routines polished through these classes. Gwen mentions how, “My fellow dance team member Erick Pierre has been taking online classes and has been posting videos of himself with the choreography he has learned or even made up!” Even through these circumstances Charter’s dance team will come out strong “as a family with all the time [they] spend together [on and off the screen].”

  Most definitely this is the time to explore the different avenues dance can bring. Gwen says, “there are many free online classes you can find and it’s a fun and great way to keep active.” To start your dance journey start by finding choreographers you like and check out if they’re doing any live classes.

• Contributions also made by: Sophia Moreno (YB)