Dear dancers and parents,

Please read the following important information in it’s entirety!

Due to the recent announcement of county-wide school closures across Suffolk and Nassau counties and to help contain the spread of COVID-19, Dance Connection will be closed to the public beginning Monday, March 16 until Saturday, March 28.

The April break will be rescheduled for Monday, March 16 through Saturday, March 21.  During this time there will be no classes (just as there would’ve been no classes during April break).  We will use this time for teachers to plan online classes and receive professional development on best online class practices.

The following week, Monday, March 23 thru Saturday, March 28, we will be having online class meetings instead of in-person class meetings.  This will be a little different from the live streams offered last week as there will be no in-person class meetings, the teacher will teach the entire class online and the dancers will be able to see the teacher and the other students in order to be engaged in the class, ask questions, etc.  Details on online class links and instructions will be sent out this week.

Monday, April 6-Saturday, April 11, which were originally the April break will now be a regular class week.

What happens after March 28th?
We are optimistic that the measures being taken by the CDC, the World Health Organization, and our local, state, and federal government will help contain the spread of COVID-19 and that we all will begin to have this situation under control.  We hope to resume in-person dance classes as soon as feasibly possible.  Our management team continues to monitor the situation and will make appropriate updates as necessary.  The health and safety of our dancers and employees is always our top priority.

Is my tuition affected?
Tuition remains unaffected.  The April break has been moved up to this coming week and the following week online class meetings will be held.  All dancers will continue to receive the 34 class meetings scheduled for the year.

Why should I attend class online?
With children out of school for this lengthy closure, it is extremely important to keep them active and engaged.  Online dance class gives all dancers the opportunity to, not only, continue their dance education admits this global crisis, but also to engage with their peers socially, exercise to stay active, and gives them a scheduled activity.

What if I can’t attend the class at my class time?
We understand that some dancers will be unable to attend their scheduled class time due to fluctuating childcare and other circumstances.  In the event that you cannot attend your class live, all classes will be recorded so you can play back the recording.  More information and details will be available with the online class instructions that will be sent out this week.

Are there any event cancellations?
– Wear Your Pajamas to Class week has been cancelled
– The Conditioning Workshop scheduled for 3/20 will be postponed
– Eggstravaganza scheduled for 3/27 has been cancelled
– The True Talent Regional Competition scheduled for 3/28-3/29 has been cancelled
– The Mini Competition/Convention scheduled for 3/29 will be postponed to a later date

Lastly…

On behalf of the entire Dance Connection staff, we thank you for your patience and cooperation as we navigate these challenging and confusing times.  We will get through this together!

Mary Naftal, Artistic Director
Melinda Civitella, Studio Manager
Joe Naftal, Marketing Director
Donna Iaboni, Facilities Manager
Erin Sforza, Public Relations Coordinator