Teacher calls for dance studios to be reopened
A Stirling-based dance school is among those desperate to step out of lockdown.
Monument Dance’s principal Louise Murray was among more than 100 performing arts teachers from across the country who sent a letter to their local councillors and MSPS outlining how they could reopen safely, and how thus far the guidance has been irrelevant to establishments such as her own.
Along with indoor gyms, swimming pools and sports courts, dance and performing arts schools have been given an indicative date of September 14 for opening, subject to physical distancing and enhanced hygience measures.
While the Scottish Government has said this will be kept under review in case an earlier date is feasible, they have also said the emergence from lockdown is a fluid situation.
But Ms Murray says watching establishments such as pubs reopen ahead of her own has been “frustrating”.
She wrote to Stirling MSP
Bruce Crawford highlighting the situation, but said the reply his office passed on from the Scottish Government, while sympathetic, was “not very helpful”.
“As a business owner I understand it is my responsibility to find the guidelines which apply to my business,” she said. “Therein lies the problem - there are no documents which are relevant to ballet studios. There is no government department or committee which understands how dance training is delivered.
“Yet we have many institutions, supported by our government - Dance School of Scotland, Scottish Ballet Associates Scheme and of course The Royal
Scottish Conservatoire’s Dance Department which offers Degree and Masters level training for dancers and teachers as well as many of us who run private dance training establishments - so there are many of us who would gladly offer their advice to such a committee.
“The references to the guidelines for sports are not relevant to dance studios who are delivering a comprehensive dance education and it is becoming more and more frustrating to watch beauticians, hairdressers and public houses opening up.
“My students are trained to be spatially aware so they are well placed to maintain social distancing and follow the rules in place to protect themselves and others.
“I have carried out the necessary risk assessments and have made alterations to my building to operate a one way system with other measures ready in place as soon as the Scottish Government acknowledges it is safe for us to open. I am also mindful that if there becomes an increase in cases, further restrictions may be imposed.
“I will not open my studios unless I am confident I can do so safely, but if pubs and schools are deemed safe I don’t understand why dance studios wouldn’t be.”
Ms Murray says, without specific guidance, parents may not have the confidence to allow their children to return to dance classes, placing the jobs of her 12 members of staff and her business in jeopardy.
“I consider the Covid crisis has been very well managed by the Scottish Government,” she added, “however what I cannot understand is why on earth pubs were considered safe to open. Surely people drinking alcohol, in a public place are more likely to relax and ignore social distancing rules and put themselves and others at risk?”