Category: IBDS Dance News

Welcome to the newest way to stay informed with whats going on in the IBDS dance family! We will be posting about a variety of different things from tales of our students and staff, to some great tips and tricks to better your dance life…Stay tuned!

It has been nearly a month since we have been able to share the floor with you, and I know that we can all agree that we miss each other and that we MISS DANCING! International Ballroom is more than just a place to learn how to dance.  We come to see friends, get our minds off of daily stresses, exercise our bodies and minds, fuel our creativity, fill our souls and uplift our spirits.

We all feel that what we do here is much more than just a job.  To pass on the joys of the kinetic flow of movement and the connection of ballroom dancing is our true calling and what we miss the most from our days in the studio with you.  Day to day we are able to share our knowledge with you, while tuning in to the intricacies of our art form ourselves.  As Phil Collins once said; “In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn”.  This is true not just in the details and methods of ballroom dancing that we impart to our students, but also true in the lessons that we, as teachers, learn from you in every lesson.

Every day we get the chance to see how what we do creates an impact on people’s lives! We care about every single person that walks through our door.  We love getting to know everyone’s true reason for wanting to dance because everyone’s reason is different. Knowing the “why” for every student helps us personalize our dance journey so that we all get the most out of our lessons.  I say “our” journey because this is a road we travel together.  Step by step, lesson by lesson, we strive to achieve our dance goals as a partnership.  Whether you take your lessons individually or as a couple, your teachers are your partner, we are part of the team.  Our vision of teaching through a personal approach is deeply rooted in each of our lessons… and seeing the look on your faces when you feel a sense of achievement gives us just as much, if not more, gratification knowing that what we are doing is helping you to excel!

Our studio is one big, happy dancing family, and we all are looking forward to the day that we get to waltz  back into the ballroom…to the day we can, as they say, get back into the swing of things.  Until then, know that we are missing you just as much as you are missing us.  This time of pause gives us all a chance to reflect on the things that matter most and the connections that bring the most joy to our lives.  In our case, one of those things happens to be ballroom dancing, but not just because of the beauty of the dance, but because of YOU, our students.

Until we dance again…Stay safe and be healthy.👩‍⚕️

Lacey, Andrey, and your International Ballroom Dance Studio Family

The moment we have all been (not so patiently) waiting for has finally arrived! Our studios will be back up and running Monday, May 18^th! We have missed our dancing family every day, and we are looking forward to “waltzing” back into the studio (See “A letter to our Students”)!  With that being said, we want to make sure our studios are still the HAPPIEST place in town while taking every precaution to keep both our students and teachers safe and healthy. Therefore, we will be taking our new safety guidelines very seriously. As per the general recommendations provided by the CDC and Governor McMaster, the following guidelines will be in place to keep our studio safe and clean for everyone to enjoy getting back into the swing of things again!

Making sure everyone is safe is our NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. A mask has been strongly recommended for people to wear when in close proximity, and since we are a close contact service, this is recommended but NOT mandatory.  However, remember the following bullet points for proper safety when wearing a mask while dancing:

• When wearing a mask, do not over do it. Pace yourself and don’t let yourself get out of breath. It will be a lot easier to hyperventilate since you don’t have as much airflow going through the mask.
• Be sure your mask is clean so we can prevent the spread.

• Make sure to talk with your teacher about what would help you to feel most comfortable during your lessons.

We will also be taking hand sanitation VERY seriously! Hand sanitation stations will be in place throughout the studio so you will be able to sanitize throughout your lesson.  When you walk in, the front desk will have you sanitize before you enter the ballroom. Stations will be available at the music stand in order to use hand sanitizer before the start and at the end of each lesson. Your dance instructor will also be making sure to thoroughly wash their hands both before and after each student.  Gloves will be made available at the front desk if you feel you’d like an extra layer of protection.  Again, please discuss with your instructor what would make you feel most comfortable.

Providing a healthy dance space by maintaining strict cleaning and disinfecting schedules in our studios has always been a top priority, but upon reopening, we will be taking it to the next level. Throughout the day and in between lessons we will be disinfecting the commonly used surfaces. We want to make sure as you walk in, you are greeted with a smiling face (even if behind a mask) and a clean table to put your stuff down and get prepared for your lesson!

As a precaution, we have currently suspended all social gatherings. This includes showcases, group classes, social dance parties, trophy balls, etc. Though we would love to be able to see all of our dance family in one place at one time, we want to safeguard the health and well-being of both our staff and students. This doesn’t mean your long-term goals have gone out the window! The instructors will just be talking with everyone about their goals and how though we may be putting some things on hold, the show must go on!

Last but certainly not least…IF YOU ARE FEELING SICK, STAY HOME! If you are feeling any sort of symptom that has you not feeling 100%… be safe and stay home. We would rather reschedule you for when you are at your best! No late cancellation charges will be issued at this time.⏱

We are really looking forward to having everyone back! Though we know it will take some time to get back to our regular dance lives, we are going to waltz through this and come out stronger than ever! Your International Ballroom family will be ready and waiting with smiling faces and dancing feet on May 18th!

After more than half a year of cancellations, rescheduling, and hopes being put on hold, the ballroom dance world is reemerging. We’ve all had to adjust to a “new normal” and the ballroom dance circuit is no different. With the shared goal of creating a healthy & happy dance space, competition organizers are seeking out & creating ways for us to dance safely and comfortably while on the competition floor!

Yes, masks may be a new staple accessory for your costume, but don’t let that deter you away from what you have been working so hard to achieve. IBDS has been looking into how strongly competitions have been taking the rules and regulations to make sure each competition we go to is safe for all who attend. Take a look at how some of the top competitions are responding to the new COVID-19 regulations and how they are opening the ballrooms back up for us dancers.

One of the competitions finally getting back in 2020 is the Grand National Championships in Miami, FL. They have taken every step to make sure the competition space is grand, as well as safe. They have reserved the largest ballroom on site to provide proper distancing of tables as well as limiting the number of people allowed in the ballroom. They are also requiring everyone to have a mask when they are not dancing or eating and plenty of hand sanitizer on every table. Did you forget your mask at home? NO PROBLEM! Dance America will be providing quadruple layer cloth masks for anyone who does not have a mask. Also, though it is custom to hug and kiss your dance friends, they are asking everyone to please wave from a safe distance!

Ohio Star Ball, the largest competition to go forward this year, is following not only the standard guidelines of what Ohio requires, they are also requiring all competitors to have a COVID test of negative up to 72 hours prior to entering the ballroom. This being one of the largest competitions in the world, they are also taking precautions as far as having a separate entrance and exit on and off the floor to keep a safe social distance. All judges and spectators will be required to wear masks at all times, while dancers are only required to wear a mask when not on the floor.

So, though this pandemic has created quite a few speed bumps along the way, it will never stop the swift feet of the ballroom world! Everything that can be done IS being done to make sure these competitions are following all of the CDC guidelines AND to make sure that we can all get back to our happy place on the competition floor! Just make sure to pack your dance shoes…& your bedazzled mask!