Last updated: Aug 19, 2020
This statement will be updated as the COVID-19 situation changes. The list of policies and measures is located underneath the following letter.
Dear current/past/future Westies and the general community:
What a situation we have all found ourselves in. It is no surprise that dance schools have taken a large hit, particularly partner dancing schools, because what we do is not truly possible by ourselves at home.
West Coast Swing is a social partner dance. This means that a big part of our dance is to be able to hold and enjoy socials, which can involve dancers (locally or just visiting) coming to dance with one another, meet new people, and enjoy a sense of community and connection. This is what makes our community so special, but nonetheless we are committed to providing quality WCS education and training in advance of the "social" aspect returning.
All of that was put to risk when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and though we have tried to adapt to online lessons and publishing video tutorials on YouTube, none of that quite replaces the vibe of WCS in Amsterdam.
On July 1, 2020, the Dutch government announced that dance classes can resume, with a number of guidelines. Since then, many dance schools around the Netherlands have restarted in various ways. As we are all itching to get back to the dance floor, we too have deeply considered the advice from RIVM and the risk profiles of our community to see how we can introduce, step by step, West Coast Swing dancing once again.
This statement will demonstrate the precautions we are taking across our activities and indicate, per activity, how we plan to reintroduce WCS. Thank you in advance for reading and making an active effort to help us follow the right measures so that we can dance safely with as minimal of an impact on Coronavirus numbers as possible.
With your health and best interests at heart,
Your West Coast Swing Amsterdam Team
A. WCSA's commitment to staying on top of news related to COVID-19:
- Following the press conferences of the national government
- Following the announcements of the municipal government (in Amsterdam)
- Following the news articles released
- Checking the RIVM site for the latest measures after each major release or once every two weeks, whichever is more frequent
If you have further suggestions, please share that with us via the contact form on this site.
B. WCSA's plan to reintroduce WCS activities:
- Weekly classes:
- Stage 1: Classes with fixed partners and limited registration space (planned for Sep 2020)
- Stage 2: Classes with rotating partners (future)
- Bootcamps:
- Stage 1: Bootcamps with fixed partners, limited registration space (planned for Sep 2020)
- Stage 2: Bootcamps with rotating partners (future)
- Socials:
- Not planned until further notice
- Larger events (30-80 people) such as Dutch Swing Festival:
- Not planned until further notice
C. WCSA's commitment to RIVM measures:
Hereby "event" referring to any in-person WCSA organized activity, including classes and bootcamps:
- All events require fixed couples. There will be no rotations during the class and everyone will have to register in partners. It will remain this way until further notice.
- We will ensure proper spacing between couples, and cleaning in the 15-minute break between events in the event they are back-to-back.
- Refund policy: If COVID-19 measures increase again such that partner dancing events indoors are no longer allowed, we will provide a refund of the remainder of the season (for classes) or a full refund of the event (for bootcamps)
- We are working with the Mirror Centre team to ensure that all the sanitization and protocols followed are up to par or even beyond RIVM's requirements.
- Signs will be posted on the door of the studio room and also circulated digitally ahead of events encouraging the use of hand sanitizer, a reminder of the distance required, and the recommendation to stay home if you are not feeling well or you have been in contact with someone in the past 14 days that has tested positive for COVID-19.
If you have further suggestions of measure that will help you and others feel safer to join events (classes and bootcamps) again, please share that with us via the contact form on this site.