AS the movement control order (MCO) and Covid-19 pandemic have brought despair and uncertainty to many businesses since last year, the fate of ballet academies is not spared too as they are struggling to cope during this trying period.
Being a place for ballet dancers of different age groups, the KS DanceSpot ballet academy in Bayan Lepas, is facing an uphill task to adapt to the new norm due to the restrictions imposed under the current MCO 2.0.
The academy has a majority of young ballet dancers, all of them with a keen interest to enhance their dancing skills.
The struggle they are currently facing is due to the mode of conducting the classes, which got shifted from physical to virtual sessions.
To share her challenges in conducting classes via online, the academy’s principal Loh Khai Sin, 33, told Buletin Mutiara that it was not an easy job to manage online classes but it was important to do it to ensure the students are not left behind in this new learning environment.
“First of all, ballet requires practice and physical contact. When it’s held via online, our students are facing hardship to learn. Many of them are distracted when they are at home and couldn’t pay serious attention during the session.
“Apart from that, those students aged five to six need to be accompanied by their parents when online learning session is carried out. The parents will need to ensure the network settings are properly set up.
“Many of them have come forward and told me that their internet connectivity is not strong. Hence, they couldn’t follow the entire session.
“For the online session, normally not more than 10 students would be involved as we need to fully focus on their learning progress. We need to make sure they receive a proper guidance.
“Nevertheless, after conducting online sessions from last October till now, we have no choice but to adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“This is an uphill task for us, students and their parents as well. However, for the sake of health and hygiene, we need to continue with it.
“This pandemic is really testing our perseverance and patience to overcome all the challenges that lie ahead of us,” said Loh, who started teaching ballet in 2006.
At one time, the soft-spoken Loh said it was tough for her business to carry on due to drop of income.
“However, as a person-in-charge of this academy, I can’t just simply give up. I need to think of other teachers and my students, who have been following us for a long time.
“All these factors have been taken into consideration, and that is why I have decided to continue with the academy’s operation.
“We have six ballet teachers in the academy and another one in Performing Arts Centre of Penang (PenangPac). Before MCO, the two centres had about 250 students.
“After MCO, only 40% of students are left at the Penang Pac while 80% students are currently enrolled in KS Dancespot art school,” she added.
As the authorities gradually allowed sports activities to operate, Loh is looking forward to the physical class that will start next month.
“Many of my students and their parents are equally excited to be back! They couldn’t wait to be back here.
“As per the initial plan, we would still tap into the online method as well. For example, we will be rotating the group of students.
“Those who have attended the physical class in the first session, will need to participate via online in the next session.
This will enable them to learn in both environments,” she said, adding that only four students are permitted for each physical class.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Law Suun Ting