Like other local businesses, Newtown’s dance studios struggled with whether to close, host online options, or reopen under permitted guidelines since the virus began hitting the state hard last March.

Looking back on their experiences, local studio owners recently offered insight on how some dance schools have been putting one foot in front of the other to keep moving this year.

Lisa Mennilli of Lisa Mennilli Dance Academy said she decided to reopen her studio in August after closing the third week in March. Following guidelines and regulations has become a new normal to keep the health and safety of all those using the studio a top priority.

“It’s really important that the kids get back to their activities, and [with] health and safety first,” Mennilli said in a recent phone interview.

Lisa Mennilli Dance Academy did offer classes virtually online and “it broke my heart,” Menilli said, specifically of watching preschoolers have difficulty with the method of teaching. The middle school and high school dancers, she noted, were also miserable with virtual lessons.

Dancing, Mennilli explained, offers a freedom of expression, and when she saw the dancers practicing in person again, she saw a difference in how happy they were within three days.

The week of September 14, as classes were getting underway, Mennilli explained the studio had taped off six-foot square grids, everyone wears masks, and attention has been taken to ensuring shared spaces are safer, like closing water fountains and break rooms.

“But they can come, they can dance, and they can feel good,” said Mennilli.

More information about the Lisa Mennilli Dance Academy is available online at lmdadance.com.

Making Necessary Changes

Lathrop School Of Dance owner and director Tamra Saric said the dance school never closed, but some changes were made.

Since the pandemic started, Saric said in a recent e-mail, “We went to YouTube videos, to Zoom [classes], to outdoor classes, and now indoor classes wearing a mask in larger rooms in the Edmond Town Hall building. We temperature check and give hand sanitizer to each student. While it’s a shame we can’t do partner work and lifts and fun formations, it all really doesn’t matter because everyone is just so happy to be back. We had so much fun being back, and the kids told me that they did not want to leave.”

Saric added, “The show must go on, and the Lathrop legacy must continue. I’m so proud of our dance school.”

While the dance year has started for Lathrop School of Dance, Saric said registration is still open and interested individuals can e-mail her at tamra@lathropschoolofdance.com or call 203-426-5757.

After quoting author Vivian Greene, saying, “‘Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s learning to dance in the rain,’” Saric said, “We hope you’ll pop open your umbrellas and dance with us at Lathrop, and find light, joy, and happiness as you do.”

Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet artistic director Tory Gozzi said, like other local studios, her studio had to “get really creative about how we have class, how students are set up inside to stay distanced, and especially how to have them safely dancing without getting their heart rate up too much so they’re not breathing heavy in the inside space, even with the masks.”

In the spring the studio was completely virtual, Gozzi shared, and it shifted to outdoor classes for summer. Now it offers a mix of outdoor, indoor, and virtual classes, depending on age and class. A medical-grade air purifier was also installed, along with a large television so students could join class virtually.

“We did our spring recital of the ballet Giselle as an edited compilation where every dancer came to the studio outside, one at a time, to be filmed, and then we created the full length ballet by merging the screens for group dances and filling in the solo and small group works too. It was really cool, a lot of work, but a one-of-a-kind project,” Gozzi said.

Streaming The ‘Nutcracker’

Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet is preparing to perform The Nutcracker, according to Gozzi, adding that it will be, “livestreamed to the community to support Newtown Youth & Family Services the first week in December. Parents can e-mail the studio [torygozzi@gmail.com] or call [203-241-5362] to set up a trial class. Some classes are already full as we are definitely limiting numbers this fall, but we do still have some openings and usually work on a rolling registration so parents can still sign up even if a term has already started.”

Gozzi said she is “so proud of how our dancers have adapted” and their dedication.

“It’s been really nice seeing our dancers return this summer/fall because that element of shared love for ballet gives them a huge sense of community and camaraderie which they’re not really finding in other ways this fall, not being able to socialize at school for example and still being so isolated in many ways,” Gozzi wrote in a recent e-mail. “It’s been really nice watching them genuinely smile and laugh as they do something they really love to do — with everything else going on, it’s incredibly uplifting and rewarding as a teacher to be able to provide a place for that.”

Changes made at The Graceful Planet Studio of Dance, according to owner and studio director Grace Barton Harvey, included both physical and procedural changes. Dancers no longer wait in the lobby before class; instead, they wait in cars until they are called in. Temperatures are taken and hand sanitizer is used.

“The studio floors are taped with social distancing six-foot grids and ‘mind your spacing’ stickers. Our class size is limited and our studios are very large so dancers have plenty of room to dance,” Harvey said in a recent e-mail. “Classes are also staggered so we have time to clean and disinfect the studio.”

When the studio closed in March, Harvey said it was expected to be closed for a short-time.

“As soon as I realized this was going to be a long term closure, we immediately transferred all of our classes to a virtual platform,” wrote Harvey. “We followed our set schedule and were able to provide something for the kids to look forward to, a sense of normalcy and a schedule to follow. We opened up our class to all dancers that were registered so a dancer taking Ballet I could also take Contemporary I or Hip Hop I if they wanted more. We really tried to keep them active and connected.”

Working Hard, Staying Safe

Harvey said the studio has worked hard to be safe for all of its dancers.

“We have worked tirelessly over the last 17 years to create a culture of caring, respect, and leadership in our dancers and I am so proud of the amazing role models all of my dancers have become,” said Harvey. “We are open and accepting new students.”

Registration for The Graceful Planet Studio of Dance is ongoing for its preschool to high school classes, according to Harvey. More information is available on its website, gracefulplanet.com.

Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance owners Christina Dolzall-Ashurst and Craig Ashurst said their studio also closed in March, transitioned to online classes, and continued until transitioning to an outdoor stage in July. By mid-September indoor classes were being offered.

“Whilst maintaining the highest degree of safety and following all state regulations, we have worked to create opportunities that keep dancers inspired, motivated, and feeling positive and confident,” Ashurst wrote in a recent e-mail.

Throughout the months, according to Ashurst, opportunities were offered for the different age levels of dancers, like a visit from a world-renowned Irish dance adjudicator in the summer.

“We started our fall season on September 14 and have limited beginner placements remaining (ages five and up),” said Ashurst. “We hope to continue offering more opportunities in the coming months, as well. Registration and information can be found at ashurstirishdance.com.”

Dolzall-Ashurtst wrote, “We are inspired by the strength, resilience, and determination of the Newtown dance schools and their dancers. Dancers are unstoppable, positive young people, and we are proud to do our part to continue motivating them and sharing our love of dance whilst doing our part to keep our community safe.”