All Stars Dance Center instructor Alicia Barden is just one of the teachers hosting live classes via zoom online. (ALL STARS DANCE CENTER PHOTO)
WESTFIELD – Students at All Stars Dance Center are still tapping, interpreting and doing all the classes they would be doing without the coronavirus. The only difference is, they’re doing it at home.
All Starts owner Kim Starsiak shut down the studio on Root Road when school was closed. She and her staff spent the first week figuring out how to keep students’ momentum going and their own morale high. Starsiak said they all miss their students and wanted to connect with them.
Last week, they did just that by hosting classes online at zoom.com.
“This is a way for us to continue our classes, but also a way for the kids to see their friends and have some sort of connection and normalcy,” said Starsiak.
She admitted the first few sessions were a bit clunky and some students, particularly the tiny tots, were a bit confused by the situation. However, Starsiak said after the first week of video classes, she knows it will “get better and better.”
“We just want to see our kids and have them see each other and do what we love – there may be a lot of things we cannot do right now, but we can all still dance,” said Starsiak.
Once Starsiak decided to close, she said her staff began to rally. One instructor, Tiffany Jacquier, immediately created two new Facebook pages, one for recreational class students and one for competitive students. Starsiak said in addition to hosting classes on zoom, which all take place at the same time the students would normally meet in person, she and her staff use the Facebook pages to keep in touch.
Some instructors are posting videos that any student can watch and learn from, while others are posting encouraging messages and videos just to say hello. All Stars even hosted an online dance party where students posted videos of themselves, and even some of their parents, dancing.
Starsiak also hosted a virtual Princess Party, including appearances from Cinderella and Moana.
“We will get over this,” Starsiak said. “It’s just sad that this is coming during our 25th anniversary year. I had big things planned.”
Starsiak said she hopes the June recital can still take place.
“Even if we have to have it outdoors, I really want to make it happen for everyone,” she said.
