We at International Ballroom pride ourselves on keeping a clean and safe ballroom for all who walk into our doors. With all of this uncertainty of what is going to happen with the pandemic we are currently facing, we want to make sure the well-being of both our IBDS family and staff is our number one priority. So, to prevent from spreading ANY illness, we have comprised a list of ways to keep both you and others as healthy as possible!

1. COVER YOUR COUGH!: According to the CDC, you should always be sure to cover your cough or sneeze. They mention using a tissue and to throw away the tissue immediately after use. However, you may not always have a tissue around when you feel the need to sneeze or cough. The next best alternative is to do, what I like to call, the “vampire cough”. Our hands are the easiest way to transmit diseases and illnesses and…in our industry…we do a lot of hand touching! So, the best alternative could be to cough into the bend of your arm like a vampire. It will help prevent the immediate spread of germs as much. However, remember to always sanitize your hands afterwards…no matter how you sneeze or cough!
2. BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY!: We know…for some people, dancing is one of the biggest highlights of their week. HOWEVER, again…remember we are in the people business!
   • If you are feeling sick, stay at home! Trust me, we understand people get sick. And, to put it in perspective, though you may feel bad for potentially cancelling your lesson, remember that your instructor is going to be around way more people throughout the day. Also, to keep yourself as healthy as possible, be sure to stay out of large crowds. Our studios can have as many as 5-6 lessons going on at a time. WHICH MEANS…anywhere from 10-15 people will be on the floor at a time; not to mention the 20-30 people at our social dance parties. So the best thing to do is to just rest up at home and see us when you are healthy!
   • Delivery over dining in is another great alternative. In these modern times, we have the blessing of being able to order just about anything right at our fingertips! Delivery services such as GrubHub, DoorDash and UBER Eats are doing everything they can to provide the safest option for food delivery. They have many local restaurants within their network and will be happy to deliver the food right to your door! Also, many local grocery stores provide the service of ordering online and/or delivering to your car or even doorstep! So be smart, and help the cause to prevent the spread of germs and disease! Also take a look at the article from Charleston City Paper to see what other restaurants are participating in curbside service to help keep Charleston healthy!
3. PRACTICE HEALTHY ROUTINES!: Even if you are healthy, you want to make sure you STAY HEALTHY! So be sure to do the following things.
   • Be sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep. According to Healthline, getting the right amount of sleep helps boost your immune system! “When you sleep, your immune system releases compounds called cytokines. Some cytokines have a protective effect on your immune system by helping it to fight inflammation, including inflammation due to infection. Without enough sleep, you may not have enough cytokines to keep you from getting sick. Other components of the immune system, like antibodies and white blood cells, can be reduced over time without enough sleep.”
   • Exercising regularly is also a great option. We know dancing is a great form of exercise for many reasons! However, in the event you can’t come to the studio, going to the gym or even taking 20-30 minutes out of your day to work out does a huge amount for your immune system and overall health. According to Healthline, exercising can help with weight loss, developing strong bones and muscles, reduce risk of chronic disease, help with relaxation and sleep quality along with many other great benefits.
   • Keeping your house clean is definitely a must! If you are going to be staying away from the general population and self quarantining, why not be productive! Wipe down all surfaces with disinfectant, leave no dirty dishes in the sink, wash your clothes, dust your vents and ceiling fans, vacuum…you get the idea. This will not only keep germs at bay, it will also give you peace of mind knowing you have a sparkling home once again!
4. DANCE AT HOME!: We know, this can be a very hard thing to do without the help of your awesome IBDS instructors. But what if i told you that you can at least review your dance steps and keep practicing what you know? Dance Vision, the company whose syllabi we utilize in our studios, is offering a free 30-day trial to access all of their videos…NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED! That means you can keep on with your dancing training even in the confinement of your (hopefully now clean) home! You may even find some other dances you may want to get into.

Though times are a little shaky right now, just know you will always have your dance family to rely on and help you! We care about our students and staff and wish good luck and good health to all of you! TAKE CARE AND STAY HEALTHY!