Dance teachers demand clarity on class numbers

‘Pods’ welcomed but frustration remains over social distance rule

DANCE teachers have welcomed the idea of ‘pods’ in their classes but insisted that there needs to be more clarity about class numbers and social-distancing requirements.

Advice provided by the Department of Health and the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) previously stated that just six people can attend an exercise or dance class.

This caused outrage among dance teachers who felt that they had been unfairly targeted by the new regulations.

And confusion still reigns given the mixed advice from a number of sources.

A spokesperson for the Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht later confirmed that classes can take place in ‘pods’ of six.

‘Indoor exercise and dance classes should remain at six only as per guidance; however, [classes] may operate multiple pods if sufficient space is available and strict public health protocols are in place,’ the spokesperson said.

And the full guidance on this matter from Sports Ireland states: ‘Total indoor gym/facility/pool use can remain at the previous maximum levels of 50 once there is sufficient space available.

‘Organised sports training within indoor facilities can do so in multiple pods of six once sufficient space is available and strict public health protocols are in place.

‘Groups exercising outdoors should be limited to 15 people, including training sessions. There should be no mixing between groups.’

When the Irish Daily Mail asked Sports Ireland how far apart the pods had to be, a spokesperson responded that there was no concrete rules and the required distance would differ based on the activity. However, there can be no more than 50 people in the room at any time.

They said: ‘As there are a broad range of indoor sports and physical activities, it will be up to each sporting organisation or provider to determine the space required between pods.

‘This determination will be based on the nature of the activity, the overall size of the venue and the environment it is conducted in. It should be easily evident that pods are operating as independent groups with no interaction between groups.’

Dance school owner Alan McGrath said that while the introduction of pods would be helpful, there needs to be concrete and clear guidance.

Mr McGrath and his sister Lisa have run the Dizzy Footwork Dance Academy, based at the Rua Red Arts Centre in Tallaght, Dublin, for the last ten years.

‘Having just six people in a dance class is such a contradiction when things like summer camps are able to have 15 people,’ he told this newspaper.

‘Our fear was that if we opened up, are we going to get closed back down? That happened to a lot of friends of mine.

‘We obviously have a very large school with very big classes. We’d have a capacity of 50 in each class [under normal circumstances].’

He continued: ‘If we were allowed to have pods of six, it would depend on how many pods you were allowed to have. It wouldn’t be feasible with prices if we could only have 12 people in a class [or two pods of six].

‘That means you’re renting your studio for triple or quadruple the hours to try and accommodate one class of 50 kids.’

He said it would be ideal ‘if we could have 24 in a class socially distanced by two metres’, adding: ‘It is just getting more and more confusing.

‘It’s confusing because we’re not actually getting answers. I’ve known several people who have been in contact with the HSE and they are all getting different answers back. Throughout the whole six-month period, they’ve never mentioned a dance class until a few weeks ago.

‘They just need to give us clarification. If we open with the pod system with six in a pod, is there a possibility that we’re going to be closed down? How many people are we allowed to have?

‘We want all or nothing – that is why we are waiting because there’s just no clarification and it keeps changing constantly.’

Mr McGrath said the uncertainty from the Arts Department, the

Department of Health and the HSE has caused huge stress for teachers and children who are eager to get back dancing.

He is worried, however, that the new rules are going to put some people out of business.

‘I worry for a lot of my friends who lease and have put their lease down for a year,’ he said.

‘They’re not going to be able to afford the lease and then probably have to close down after this.

‘As well as my own school, I do a lot of performance work and all of our Christmas shows and pantos have been wiped because they can’t afford the production with social distancing in place within the theatres.’

‘Will be up to each organisation’ ‘It is just getting more confusing’