Our local contra dance group has not started dancing again.  In June and early July we were discussing starting again in the fall and trying to figure out how that would work.  It was likely going to be for vaccinated only, but wearing masks seems less useful when you are in physical contact with a large group of people.  However, the Delta surge has made us put all these plans on hold.  I'm not sure what conditions will need to be in order to start up again.  Certainly I think we would want to wait until the transmission level is below "High".  Whether we need to wait for it to be "Low" I don't know.

  However, our local English group did hold 3 dances in the late spring and summer.  These were for fully vaccinated dancers (and band members).  They were held outdoors and everyone wore masks (except the woodwind player in the band).  Under those circumstances we felt comfortable enough to do some dancing.  We didn't have any negative occurrences.  We didn't specifically slow things down due to masks, but we did go a bit slower since it had been over a year since any of us had been dancing.  Whether that made a difference with the masks or not I can't say.

Jonathan

On 10/15/2021 7:14 PM, Greenleaf via Contra Callers wrote:

Those of you who are sponsoring live contra events, can you answer Becky’s other question:

"But it would be very useful to us if we knew of other dance organizations that had already begun vaccinated-only dances, so we could learn how that’s going. (Do they require masks? Can people enjoy the dance with masks? Has anyone gotten sick? What adaptations, e.g., slowing down the music, have they needed to make to accommodate mask-wearing? What systems have worked well for verifying vaccination status?)”

For many of us, it’s the mechanics of Covid regulations that are tricky.

Thanks,

Lisa Greenleaf

On Oct 15, 2021, at 12:39 PM, Elizabeth Bloom Albert via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:

we are going to one tonite

U of Chicago, Ida Noyes Hall

On Fri, Oct 15, 2021 at 10:51 AM Becky Liddle via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:

   Hi caller friends,

   I’m the president of Toronto Contra Dance and we’re about to survey our membership about when they’ll feel ready to return to in-person dancing, and under what circumstances. We’re expecting that at first dances will be vaccinated-only spaces, probably with masks required. But it would be very useful to us if we knew of other dance organizations that had already begun vaccinated-only dances, so we could learn how that’s going. (Do they require masks? Can people enjoy the dance with masks? Has anyone gotten sick? What adaptations, e.g., slowing down the music, have they needed to make to accommodate mask-wearing? What systems have worked well for verifying vaccination status?)

   I had hoped CDSS would be monitoring back-to-in-person dances to inform the rest of us how those ventures are going, but as far as I can tell, they’re not doing that.

   Any information anyone can provide would be most appreciated! Back-channel messages welcome! If I’m re-inventing the wheel here, please put me in touch with whatever group is looking into this!

   Thanks!

   Becky Liddle

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