Boca Ballet Theatre Staying Connected During the Pandemic
Jane Tyree, Co-Artistic Director of BBT, teaches ballet class on Instagram Live.
The coronavirus pandemic has been hard on us all, separating families, friends, students, and teachers. This is especially true for the dancers and faculty members at Boca Ballet Theatre, who are used to finding support and a close-knit community in the BBT studios.
However, even this pandemic has not stopped BBT’s faculty members from connecting with their students online through Instagram Live, allowing dancers to take classes from at home.
Jane Tyree, BBT’s Co-Artistic Director, emphasized how important it is to “reach our dancers on a human level and continue their training. We know that staying engaged and connected to the people and art form they love is vital. We have students from ages 3 to 93. Some dance one day a week and some dance every day with us. We are committed to filling the void while they are quarantined at home.”
BBT’s initial virtual classes, which began the week after Palm Beach County Schools closed in mid-March, were met with great success, Tyree turning on her camera to find over 90 dancers, including current students as well as alumni from as far away as New York and Lebanon, tuning in for barre and an abbreviated centre. BBT faculty member Ines Aperlo Lopez found similar success with BBT’s littlest dancers in her creative dance class, using props such as scarves at home to get the creative juices flowing!
American Ballet Theatre Soloist and Boca Ballet Theatre guest artist Cassandra Trenary teaching ballet class for BBT.
Since its initial week of classes, BBT has expanded its schedule to include all of BBT’s levels of ballet as well as jazz and even one contemporary dance class taught by BBT alumna and Juilliard graduate Clarissa Castaneda. BBT’s guest teachers have also included American Ballet Theatre Soloist and BBT guest artist Cassandra Trenary, who taught two BBT ballet classes.
These connections have been invaluable to those who have been living in social isolation for weeks now. Natalie Parker, one of BBT’s alumni and longtime students, said, “If you are not used to working remotely or staying at home a lot, it can feel very lonely. Taking a virtual class with my teacher at Boca Ballet helps me to relax, get some positive exercise and interact with my dance colleagues all over the world. I am very grateful.”
Like Natalie, many dancers are grateful for the chance to stay connected during this difficult time. So while the BBT studios remain empty, there is no denying the power that technology, persistence, and the need for connection has had in ensuring that all of us can keep dancing through it!
Join Boca Ballet Theatre on Instagram Live for ballet class!
Support Boca Ballet Theatre
All of us at Boca Ballet Theatre hope that wherever you are, you are safe, you are healthy, and you know we stand ready to bring beauty and movement back to your life in-person when the time is right.
Here is what you can do to help us: if you have the means, please contribute to Boca Ballet Theatre’s Crisis Relief Fund at bocaballet.org/donate.
You can choose to make a one-time gift or a monthly recurring donation; every contribution will help ensure that, after this crisis passes, we will still be able to enrich our community through professional productions, focused training, and effective outreach programming.