Not because they were shut down because of COVID-19, mind you. No, Dance Images found a way to stay active and keep their charges safe throughout the past year-and-a-half of limited gatherings, masks and hand sanitizer.
But when you can open up fully and hold a bunch of fun and educational events in the process, it makes things just that much better.
“We still have really high-quality protocols, but it’s nice to have more kids in the studio and moving around a little freer,” said Dance Images owner Barb Jackman. “It’s just nice to be back in a little more normal way. The kids are coming in and they’re excited to be involved in things and the parents are excited for them to be involved in things again. It makes you feel hopeful about what the future will bring.”
Dance Images kicked off their special summer programming on Wednesday, Aug. 4 with their Kidventure Day Camp, which carried the theme ‘Dancing with Disney’ and featured a range of fun activities for youngsters age three to seven.
“It’s a full day of games and crafts and bouncy castles and of course we have dance in the afternoons,” Jackman said during a short break from the proceedings Wednesday. “Then we have some activities outside and a bunch of fun stuff like that. It’s an all-day thing and the kids are having a lot of fun.”
Folks who didn’t catch the first Kidventure will have another chance, as a second camp is being held on Wednesday, Aug. 18.
Business picks up on the dance side of things with Dance Craze 2021, which will feature five guest teachers — Gillian Horn (ballet), Stephanie Cowan (hip hop), Ryan Foley (tap), Jaimie Kopac (contemporary) and Kristen Ewtushnik (Jazz-Acro) — joining Dance Images’ six instructors for four days of intensive instruction.
“So they’re going to a get a really big variety and not just from our regular staff,” Jackman said. “We’re really excited about that, especially for the line-up of guest teachers.
It’s not just good for the kids, it’s good for the staff, too. These guest teachers will motivate and add to our own self-education and that’ll be great.”
Dance Craze runs from Monday, Aug. 9 through Thursday, Aug. 12.
The week will conclude with a one-day Acro Fusion event, which will focus on the ‘gymnastics for dancers’ acrodance discipline and feature a wide variety of instruction from Ewtushnik, herself an experienced instructor in the event and herself a former Dance Images student.
Acro Fusion takes place on Friday, Aug. 13.
All told, the week promises to feature a ton of action and plenty of young faces in Dance Images’ South Hill studio. And with that will come precautions — like those seen during Kidventure, where instructors were wearing plastic face shields and encouraging those coming into the building to use hand sanitizer and wear masks.
“We’re still doing our part to be safe,” Jackman said. “The extra cleaning and being aware of areas being overcrowded… simple things that’ll help us stay in the dance room and do what we all love to do.
“There are still unknowns and people are unsure, but we’re looking forward to a brighter tomorrow and we’re pumped to see all these kids back in the studio and having fun. It’s going to be a great couple of weeks.”
For more information and to register, visit www.danceimagesbybj.com or give them a call at (306) 631-0584.
