Well it looks like many colleges are canceling admitted student programs. They are announcing to current students that they are transitioning to remote learning. Some colleges are even telling students not to return to campus after spring break.
This is making me nauseous. I have two college students 3,000 miles away, one dance major and one not. It’s heartbreaking.
Ugh! Was just wondering how this is going to start impacting new student days, etc. Getting crazy!
And it’s not like dance classes can just “go online”!
I’ve been wondering if schools we have plans to visit would cancel. Today my D is visiting a campus and the classes/tour went on as usual here. Next visit in two weeks is an important one to her, so I am hoping it isn’t canceled.
Rutgers just now sent out an update that they will be online from 3/12 to 4/3. Waiting to hear from Mason/Gross dance department for guidance.
My daughter is in Kentucky and her teachers are at a loss of what to do if they suspend classes after spring break. It is an option supposedly to continue them into the summer which her teachers are totally against. Otherwise it would be videos that the students would follow on their own. What a mess! I want her to be safe obviously but online isn’t functional for our dancers 
I have a freshman at George Mason. We are waiting to hear if they will move to online classes. Everyone else in the area has. Still waiting to find out what that means for dance majors. The gala is very soon which is their biggest night for donors. ugh
They just moved us to all online yesterday until April 6th. Still no word from her program. She’s coming home for the time being so I guess it’s a waiting game. Her friends at Temple dance were given a week to pack entirely, done for the semester. What a mess this all is.
My daughter is a freshman at Dominican/Lines. They are currently on spring break so she is home in Ohio. We received an email on Tuesday saying that the university will remain open for classes next week. According to their website, they faculty is meeting today to discuss on-line course work. My daughter hasn’t heard directly from the dance department yet. There are 3 reported cases of the virus in the Marin County were her school is located.
Utah will be online March 18th through the end of the semester (April 29th). No word yet on how dance classes will proceed.
My daughter is at Sam Houston State (in TX) and they have extended Spring Break for1 week then will re-open dorms and services but will begin “remote delivery” for all classes March 23. Each department will be making a plan during the week of extended spring break and contact the students directly about how they will proceed. I am assuming labs in addition to the arts are all one of the biggest discussion points. So we will know more next week about how it is proceeding.
It appears that even Alabama gave their students not much notice but they are moving out of the dorms, got a little over 2 weeks for spring break and then classes will be completed online only. We have several dance and MT and theater friends there who are saying #goodbyefreshmanyear There are many schools in the NE doing the same.
Because most of the dance competitions have cancelled events through April 3 for now (even ACDA college competition cancelled!), there are a few virtual competitions popping up which should do well this year - lol. The virtual/online dance instruction sites/apps are also really getting hit right now so if your dancer is thinking of enrolling or looking at it now is the time as they will likely hit a server capacity! Some are talking about using/monetizing Facebook live somehow as well. Local studios will likely see an influx as well because of college students returning home for remote classes.
This has been a very interesting year with a college freshman dancer as well as a high school senior dancer. Hoping the arts among other fields can hang on through this next few months! I have a feeling summer programs are going to see a huge influx if dancers are essentially having to take the time off now. We were a bit up in the air about a collegiate summer program but have decided to register as it is late July early August.
What else are all of you hearing and what/how are you planning ahead for possible impact of Covid-19 cancellations and containment on your dancer?
DD is a sophomore at SUNY-Purchase. Governor Cuomo has mandated that all SUNY and CUNY schools go to online instruction beginning March 19th until the end of the semester. Senior projects that were set to perform this weekend to live audiences, were closed to faculty and parents only. Junior projects will be submitted by film. As for daily dance classes, they are making the best of a very tough situation (as are most students across the country). Several of the classes have been condensed and dancers have been divided into smaller groups. Classes like Contact Improvisation (dancers are rolling all over the floor and each other) have been cancelled. Some dance classes are being done through Zoom. It’s obviously very disappointing to these dancers. Dorms and dining halls are still open (thankfully, no one is being kicked out). Also, the YAGP NYC finals, which were to be held at the Purchase PAC in April, have been postponed. Yes, it’s surreal.
As a parent, I understand and appreciate the the Governor’s quick action in protecting the SUNY/CUNY students and the residents of NY state. Purchase is located in Westchester County and is 12 miles away from New Rochelle, which is a coronavirus containment zone and Ground Zero for the majority of the cases in New York. I feel for all dancers and college students, especially graduating Seniors. I hope all of our dancing kids are back in their studios soon. Hang in there, everyone!
@Gigi77 Overall, how does your DD like the program? In general is communication slow between the dance faculty and students?
@DNAPHD She loves the program! She has been in contact with both the school and dance department since my post. They are on-line until at least April 7th. They are using zoom for their gyrotonic class. They had to create a ballet barre class and journal what they do each day.
My daughter says they have open communication between dance faculty and students as well as with the director of the program. They had to vacate campus during the fires in the fall and the director was communicating with them regularly during that time and made them confirm that they had a place to go.
@Gigi77 Thank you for your response. My DD was recently accepted and will likely attend the program.
Congrats to your DD, @DNAPHD !