Covid Policy - SHINING ON IN THE FALL

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SSDC is teaching girls to shine through dedication, teamwork, and sisterhood. 

We are aiming to teach not to quit when things get tough, and if there is a will there is a way. We want our girls to find  safety and consistency with their star sisters. 

We have been working tirelessly to make certain  our dancers are able to get back to in-studio dancing in the fall!  We cant wait to shine with you! We are trying to give every option possible to accommodate our star family at this trying time. All  SSDC training and competitions will go on regardless of the platform.  

At this point, in efforts to keep our dancers comfortable and safe we will keep all our teams under 10 girls for the ENTIRE season Sept-May. We have been monitoring all our teams closely to make sure these class sizes are kept. 

We are planning to alternate small groups or “squads” of 5 girls every week, however all our classes will be live streamed on Zoom for those in remote locations or those that don’t feel comfortable attending. (Details to come in September on Squad groupings.) Currently, due to the nature and size of our intensive as well as the majority of our August sign-ups being families that are still in remote locations, we are conducting our August Intensive virtually. However, plans are in effect to get our girls dancing in the studio by fall!

GUIDELINES:

Only students will be allowed in the studio with their coach. One guardian wearing a mask may accompany to drop off and pick up. No early from off or late pick up is possible. This will help keep hallways empty and free of congestion. 

Temperature checks and hand sanitizing upon entry to the studios will be done prior to every class. 

Dressing rooms will not be open; please arrive for your classes dressed in uniform.

Bathrooms will be open to one person at a time. 

As always, no food is allowed in the studio. Water bottles must be marked with name. Belongings will be placed on a marker designated for your child. 

All dancers and coaches will wear masks. Please have your dancer in a cloth mask to allow for easier breathing. We will take breaks throughout the class so the girls can get used to dancing like this. Excessive talking will be discouraged. We are hopeful that in September some of these guidelines may change. However, we will follow all CDC guidelines.  

We will adhere to social distancing by having girls spaced 6 feet apart on “floor markers,” for the entirety of the class. Floor work will not be taught at this time. Street shoes will need to be removed upon entry to the studio. Regular dance shoes will be worn. 

At this time, we are moving all of our teams out of the 91st St. location. We are relocating to our Upper West side location at 72nd st. btwn Columbus and Amsterdam. We have been at this location for 15 years and we feel most comfortable in our West side home for the time being. We aim to have most of our teams back on the East side before our season is over.

In addition, we have also secured a mirrored studio space on the Upper East Side.  We will use this space for our smaller teams. We feel these two studio spaces are the best options under the circumstances and until further notice. We will send out  detailed information on location changes soon. However, the majority of our teams will be held on the Upper West Side. 

All our studios will be disinfected prior to class. Industrial disinfection takes place at the end and throughout the day to ensure safety. There will be allotted extra time to wipe down all high touch areas between classes. Doors will be left open to improve air circulation. If weather permits - windows with window guards will be kept open. SSDC has purchased a medical grade Hepa filtration system for each studio.

We will continue to keep you updated with any new developments and will continue to follow the CDC guidelines. Some of this information will change. When new developments arise we will let you know.

Your patience is appreciated as we navigate through this together. Thank you for your dedication, support, and for Shining on with us!  Please stay safe and healthy and know that we are here for you!

No refunds or credits will be given should a virtual element need to be utilized. SSDC continues to be an audition only program with limited enrollment.   We will continue to honor our promise to train and empower young woman through the love of dance, no matter what, #itswhatwedo 

We miss the competition stage just as much as our girls do, and we are excited to share that moving forward,  there will be various options on attending competitions. These perimeters are in place currently - we're sure there will be new developments and  we will continue to keep you all informed! 

Block Competitions:

To assure that all families and dancers stay safe as we move past the COVID-19 Pandemic, some dance competitions are holding Block competitions. This means  our staff, dancers, and TWO PARENTS per family (no grandparents, siblings, or any other individuals) will be THE ONLY PEOPLE allowed into the building. Meaning each studio competing will be the only studio in the building. Our dancers will perform each of their routines, receive their adjudication award upon walking off stage, and then will be able to leave the building. After each studio leaves the building, the seating area, dressing rooms, stage, and rest rooms will be cleaned and sanitized before the next studio is allowed to enter the building. This will save parents time as now their children will only have to commit to a few hours on one day of the competition weekend rather than an entire weekend, and will eliminate the need for overnight hotel stays. Overall Awards will be done on the last day of the event with no spectators in the audience, but it will be live-streamed so that dancers and their families can watch them safely from the comfort of their home. This will also have a zoom option should a dancer feel more comfortable not attending. 

Virtual Competitions:

Currently, some dance competitions are holding Virtual competitions. These competitions will consist of our girls performing in full costume, and will be live-streamed so that families and friends can watch and cheer their dancers on from home.