Dance studio confused amid changing COVID-19 protocols

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A lack of clear communication about changing COVID-19 guidelines is leaving some B.C. dance studios confused.

One dance studio in the Lower Mainland had to stop classes after an order was issued halting indoor exercise classes earlier this month. Then a day after reopening, the studio was forced to close once again, following fresh orders from the province.

Carly Cohen, director of Panorama School of Dance in Surrey, says the studio wants to abide by the health orders, but they need to know what they are.

She says she was under the belief everything was in order when they started up classes again after hearing Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say studios didn’t need WorkSafe BC plans signed off.

“Vancouver Coastal [Health] did put out guidelines in the first couple days actually of the shutdown. So I looked through that document and we were doing everything they were saying the only thing new that when we reopened put a mask for every child,” she says.

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“We took a couple of days just because we were wanting to make sure that we were ready and that teachers were ready and that parents could get the kids going on the masks, give them a couple of days heads up.”

It wasn’t until she heard through the grapevine then the media that the studio realized it can’t open until new guidelines come out.

“WorkSite was the email that we have for contact in Fraser Health and on Thursday they did email us, saying we were allowed to open. We didn’t receive another email from them saying ‘No, you have to close again.’ ”

While some classes will be able to resume under the new guidelines, spin, interval training, and hot yoga classes have to remain closed.

Cohen says while she understands there are many challenges, clear direction is really needed.

Provincial health officials extended the health restrictions for all of B.C. to stop transmission of the virus. The orders are in place until Dec. 7.