Hey ballet friend,

I caught a contemporary ballet livestream on Saturday night. It was a joy to watch and a huge accessibility win.

When I tune in to shows from home or attend in-person, I'm automatically scanning for my access needs. Maybe you are, too.

1. Wheelchair access was great for audience members. Woohoo! Aaannd the stage had a ramp. 🎉 Most of my wheelchair access issues have come from people forgetting that mobility aid users are not always guests, but artists and workers who need independent access to the whole space.

2. Options for folks with Energy Limiting Conditions and Impairments (ELCIs)¹. A virtual live event with 48 hour access to the recording nailed this one. 🥳

3. Immuno-inclusivity — aside from being an outdoor performance, this one's harder to assess. Some high performers who want to keep excelling in their work are quietly staying on top of infection prevention. Maybe this company had behind the scenes protocols in place…

I do know for sure that long-COVID and other post-infectious illnesses end careers and diminish quality of life. “Mild” and asymptomatic infections increase PASC likelihood (2.6X by your third infection)² and wreak havoc on your immune system so the next illness that comes along is harder to fight.³

Here's how I’d love dance companies to protect their dancers, staff, and audience:

• Wear N95s⁴ in rehearsals (ideally in performances, too).

• Clean the air⁵ in indoor spaces with HEPA or CR boxes and open windows.

• Daily testing, if considering unmasked dress rehearsals and performances. I hesitated to include this because testing isn’t designed for prevention and false negatives are common⁶, but it’s a layer to consider, and a step up for arts organizations that are currently playing infection roulette.

• Plan for casting changes and encourage rest if someone tests positive or feels sick. An attitude change in this department was sorely needed long before the current pandemic.

• Provide an N95-exclusive audience section (this really only works outside), ticket taking, and bathrooms for those who want it. Even better: fully immuno-inclusive performances with mandatory masking and clean air everywhere. I long for the gift shop… 🎁

Many of us have already done the hard work of deciding and maintaining boundaries, because we know that dropping these protections pushes people out, and keeping them up allows us to live our joyful, vibrant lives.

I like to think the work gets easier from here. We keep building on what we know works, one performance, one class, one get-together at a time.

If you’re a beginning or returning dancer, join me for virtual ballet at www.inspiredmotion.ca/classes

Dancers of all levels can head to the website to vote for more classes, or hit reply to tell me where you want this path to lead from casual community to professional performances to something completely different.

Mask up, clean the air, and make good art, ballet friend.

-Natasha

1. Energy Limiting Conditions and disability https://chronicillnessinclusion.org.uk/our-work/elci-energy-impairment-disability/

2. Experiences of Canadians with long term symptoms of COVID-19 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2023001/article/00015-eng.htm

3. SARS-CoV-2 Leaves a Lasting Mark on the Immune System https://johnsnowproject.org/primers/sars-cov-2-leaves-a-lasting-mark-on-the-immune-system/

4. Relative efficacy of masks and respirators as source control for viral aerosol shedding from people infected with SARS-CoV-2: a controlled human exhaled breath aerosol experimental study https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964%2824%2900192-0/fulltext

5. How can you clean the air? W.A.T.C.H. https://itsairborne.com/how-can-you-clean-the-air-w-a-t-c-h-f1fc3f11fba5

6. COVID-19 Resources Canada special data discussion on testing devices and methods https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cEujVXFGE49slI2OY9efQr3X3r6ReWAHXxyO8uBjhL8/edit?tab=t.0