Dear ABA Families,
I am writing to our dance community to provide an important update about ABA and the coronavirus (COVID-19).
1. OUR PLAN: At this juncture, we are open for all classes as usual. We are watching the local health department updates and tracking the public school response. At every step of the way, we are working to prevent the spread of the virus and keep our community safe.
2. IN-HOUSE:
- We are cleaning and sanitizing the building surfaces daily in addition to our thorough bi-weekly cleaning procedures and keeping a close eye on our facility.
- The barres will be disinfected before and after every class.
- No shoes will be allowed inside the studios as they are know to be a huge transmission for disease. In addition, please do not allow your dancer to wear their ballet slippers outside — not even from the car to the studio door.
- We will also discontinue using the yoga/stretch mats as we do not want dancers sharing mats or other exercise equipment in the studios.
3. HOW YOU CAN HELP: We are asking everyone in our community – staff, students, families, artists, renters, audiences – that you follow these important procedures and guidelines to help protect all of us:
Protect yourself and others…
The most important thing you can do is to practice everyday healthy behaviors that prevent the spread of germs.
- Wash your hands often with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds. Especially before and after teaching class, handling cash, paperwork, etc.
- Don’t touch your face with unwashed hands.
- Use alcohol based hand sanitizer; you may encourage our students to use before and/or after class.
- Use the wipes and waste bins provided in each studio and the lobby to clean the barres, handrails, door knobs, etc. All staff will be pitching in to do this several times per day.
- Consider ways to greet, appreciate, support and instruct that minimizes physical contact.
- Please support by encouraging young children to hand wash when in the facility as this can be a missed step when they use the restroom.
These actions don’t just protect you. They help keep our whole community safe, especially our most vulnerable residents, by slowing the spread of the disease.
When you’re sick, stay home!
Don’t spread infections to others. When you’re sick with any respiratory illness:
- Stay home.
- Minimize contact with others in your household.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you don’t have a tissue, cough into your elbow rather than your hand.
- Wash or sanitize hands immediately after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, like door knobs, phones, and faucets.
Since we have Visiting Week coming up (March 23-28), it is especially important to follow these guidelines, as there will be many people in and out of the building that week. Please reach out to me at any time with questions or concerns. Thank you for being a part of the ABA community. Stay safe and healthy!
Sincerely,
Emilie Skinner
Director of Operations
Alameda Ballet Academy