How Covid-19 Affected Ballroom Dance Competitions

When COVID-19 first hit, ballroom dance workshops everywhere were scrambling to stay afloat. Due to the pandemic all dance workshops, clubs, dance festivals, parties, and dancing competitions have been postponed, canceled or rescheduled till the situation gets better and the virus hopefully disappears. There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has a devastating financial effect on the dance industry. 

Dancing is a social activity with contact. When one dances, one connects to the music and to themselves or their dance partners. Dance studios across the world have been forced to get creative and introduce virtual classes. Virtual training has allowed students to take classes from leading dancers from around the globe, all from the comfort of their homes. Even within the instability and loss, some of the world’s best dancers continue to cultivate creative new approaches to reach their students and encourage a passion for dance. 

Some have been extremely lucky and privileged to be able to continue dancing and even compete through this pandemic. However, luckily there are solo dances that may become popular during the period of isolation - step dance, belly dance, street dances, such as Popping, Locking and many others. As for ballroom dancing, one can practice it by improving one’s own personal skills like footwork or arm styling.

Others have not danced in a year or longer. No showcases, no lessons, no competitions. Through an extremely stressful period of our lives, they have lost their primary source of thinking and emotional relief. 

Ballroom dance brings you tremendous joy. But if it’s not possible right now, you need to find something else to take its place, at least temporarily. It won’t be the same, but at least you will be smiling.