News

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR ONLINE ADULT BALLET 2021! ENROLL TODAY!

Click HERE to be redirected to our Adult registration page!

Alameda Ballet will be following the guidelines put into place by both Alameda County and Dance USA. If you are planning on attending in-person Studio classes please read our list of guidelines as well as the two document links from Dance USA below. Additional information from Dance USA can be found here.

EMPLOYEE GUIDELINES:

• Staff will follow illness policy, which will include daily temperature checks, safety health questions and 24 hour wellness standards prior to entering the facility.
• Staff will wash/sanitize hands before, during and at the conclusion of each class.
• Staff will have NO direct physical contact with the dancers.
• Staff will be diligently trained on new procedures and be prepared to enforce all social distancing protocols.
• Staff members will be required to wear a mask and wear clean athletic attire.
• ABA will adhere to the Alameda County Public Health Department’s guidelines regarding employee travel, potential risky behavior and personal safety.

DANCER GUIDELINES:

• Classes will be limited to 12 dancers max per class for in-person Studio Classes
• Dancers must wear a mask at all times.
• Dancers will be spaced 10 feet apart at all times. We have tapes off dance squares in the studios in order to help the dancers keep their distance.
• Dancers must keep a distance of 6+ feet while in the lobby.
• Only 1 dancer at a time will be allowed in the restroom.
• Dancers will have their temperature checked before every class. Any person who appears ill or has a temperature above 100 degrees will be asked to go home until symptoms subside for 48 hours without medication.
• No parents or siblings will be permitted in the studio or lobby.
• Dancers are to arrive in clean dance attire, changing at the facility will be discouraged.
• All items including dance bags, shoes and cover up clothing must be left in the lobby and will not be permitted in the studios.
• Dancers will be required to sanitize/wash hands upon entering the facility and before leaving.
• Dancers must bring their own reusable water bottles (to be kept in the lobby). Any items left behind will be discarded so please keep track of your belongings by keeping them all in one place in the lobby.

FACILITY GUIDELINES:

• All door handles, light switches and shared surfaces will be disinfected before and after every class.
• Barres will be wiped down by the dancers or staff before every class.
• Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer will be available for use throughout class.
• Windows will remain open before, during and after classes in order to keep fresh air flowing throughout the building.
• ABA will NOT be renting studio space to outside organizations or non-ABA teachers in order to protect the facility and ensure safety protocols are being followed.

To see when your dancer’s class(es) are offered and to register, please click HERE. 

Please note that due to COVID-19, we are offering both online Zoom classes and in-person Studio classes. We are also limiting all in-person Studio Classes to 12 dancers max. Therefore, spaces are limited — so enroll now!

For information on our safety protocols and guidelines in response to COVID-19, click here.

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

Please help ABA by voting for us for the Parents Press Best of 2020! You can find ABA under 2 categories: Classes & Enrichment Programs and Camps. Tell your friends and family!!! We’ve won 4 years in a row! Let’s go for 5! CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) was a huge success for ABA this past weekend. Our dancers performed beautifully and took home some amazing awards!!! Read more below.

Since September, our level 5 & 6 dancers have been working on the pieces they performed at YAGP this past weekend. Their hard work payed off with 11 beautifully performed solos and 1 ensemble.

Felt choreographed by Ms. Lindsay Leonard and performed by the Level 5 dancers placed in the top 6 ensembles of the competition! Both Shino and Anna (Level 6 dancers) placed in the top 12 for Senior Contemporary and Classical Solos and Shino placed 2nd in the Senior Women’s Contemporary category.

Congratulations to all!!!!

Ms. Abra and all your teachers are so proud. Special thanks to our choreographers and coaches for all their hard work preparing the dancers for such a special and successful experience. Now on to Spring Recital 2020!