With COVID-19 social distancing restrictions leaving everyone housebound, Sydney Dance Company (SDC) has risen to the occasion.
SDC has adapted its public dance program and is now offering a Virtual Studio. The entire dance program – which includes 45 digital classes a week in real time – offering has been adapted for digital delivery.
Thought about learning hip-hop or jazz, or even exploring contemporary dance styles? Now you can! These and much more are on offer, all made possible using the web-conferencing software Zoom. All you need is a mobile device to access.
And at $ 28 for unlimited weekly classes, it’s quite affordable.
RELATED: Follow the latest coronavirus updates
RELATED: What is social distancing?
RELATED: The only valid excuses for going outside
Not only do SDC’s open classes attract more than 80,000 participants a year, the sessions also generate a vital chunk of income for the dance company.
So when the coronavirus hit, the business saw it as an opportunity.
“Online learning is a great tool, we know that,” SDC’s artistic director and choreographer Rafael Bonachela told Broadsheet.
“Suddenly it was like, ‘Okay, all the work has been done. Let’s do it’.”
Bonachela says the reason for the popularity is multifaceted. “You can do it in your living room, so many barriers [to attending night classes] have been broken, and you can turn off your video camera if you feel shy,” he says.
“But it’s also that sense of community. We’re all talking about social distancing, but you don’t have to be socially distant, you have to be physically distant. You can still stay social.”
With an increasing number of services changing up their delivery mode – it seems like you can do anything on Zoom at this point – SDC isn’t the only company to ride the wave.
Lots of dance studios are moving classes online, teaching everything from Brazilian Zouk classes to dance-based HIIT workouts.
Dance Australia is keeping a running list of virtual dance classes on offer here.
Looking for other things to pass the time? The best shows to watch, the funniest videos, the best hacks and home workouts? Find it all at our Life (goes on) in Lockdown section.