A survey seeking information about returning to in-person square dancing was sent to readers of the weekly news email on June 7, 2021. 37 responses were collected and reviewed by the Return to Square Dancing committee on June 14, 20201.
1. Are you ready to square dance again?
- Yes 34 (91.9%)
- No 3 (8.1%)
2. Are you willing to square dance outdoors? (read any of the weekly emails about the recent experiments in dancing outdoors via telephone conference call)
- Yes 30 (81.1%)
- No 7 (18.9%)
3. Are you willing to square dance indoors?
- Yes 31 (83.8%)
- No 6 (16.2%)
4. Are you willing to travel to Brooklyn or Queens if an indoor venue is found?
Yes 20 (54.1%)
No 17 (45.9%)
5. Are you willing to host a square in your home?
- Yes 4 (10.8%) [Warren, Kian (2x), Ken H]
- No 33 (89.2%)
6. Are you willing to pay a bit more ($15) if a venue can be found but is more expensive than PS3?
- Yes 36 (97.3%)
- No 1 (2.7%)
7. Select the type of dance event you consider the most important to bring back first:
- Regular club night 25 (67.6%)
- Workshops 9 (24.3%)
- Beginner no-experience dances to bring in new people 0 (0%)
- Hybrid of club night with occasional 10 or 15 minute segments to review calls that several people have trouble with that day. 1 (2.7%)
- monthly A/C dances 1 (2.7%)
- All of the above 1 (2.7%)
8. What concerns, if any, do you have about returning to square dancing in-person?
Location
- I live in queens, i would be more likely to travel in Queens than to Brooklyn
- If square dancing were to be held in Queens or Brooklyn, it would need to be easy to reach by public transportation and safe.
Miscellaneous
- As I’ve stated in the past, as much as I would like to attend in-person dancing, I am not willing to travel to NYC on a weekly basis. Only monthly trips for me right now. This means I will restrict my trips for those truly “important” events. The distance to PS3 from my home is 157 miles, and takes 2hrs 30minutes each way. I also have to factor in gas and tolls (Based on the May 1st NYC trip: $30 gas, $43.5 tolls). I won’t even mention parking! Aside from those concerns, I fully support Times Squares. Thank you.
- I am concerned about having a sufficient number of dancers to have a full square.
- I have been undergoing medical procedures that have left me very weak
- Not ready to dance again yet
No concerns
- no concerns
- No concerns
- None
- none
- None
Skills
- Being out of practice for 15 months, I’ll need to concentrate on basics
- Forgot the calls
- I am rusty. So, at least for the first few weeks, and for confidence building, I hope the callers don’t discourage the dancers with difficult calls.
- I have forgotten a lot
- I would hope that people are others who are not as comfortable with no masks, etc…so that everyone is comfortable. and that more experienced dancers are cognizant that some people may need more help getting back in the groove!
- That people won’t come because they are self-conscious about being rusty. We all have to be patient with each other for the first few months.
Vaccination
- Although I am vaccinated, I could still get sick from a non-vaccinated dancer who is an asymptomatic carrier or the non-vaccinated dancer could get sick from me if I am asymptomatic.
- Bars are requiring proof of vaccination, which seems to be working. I’d guess that VIRTUALLY all of us are compliant, and would suggest doing the same – at least for the short term.
- Check for Vaccine Passports, please
- Dancers should be vaccinated.
- For me, I would like to ease into it with regularly scheduled outdoor dancing and then slowly try indoor dancing – with safety protocols. I would like to hear the board’s position about vaccinations and masks. Thank you for all the continued hard work that the board is doing during this pandemic time.
- I worry about exposing non-vaccinated people to COVID that I might unknowingly be carrying. I am less concerned about being exposed to COVID from infected people with no symptoms.
- I would want a vaccination requirement. When I said Regular Club Night, I would want them to be an easing in to the activity, with the callers gently probing to find what is, and is not, remembered and work a little workshopping into the fabric of the feeling of a regular dance.
- I’d like everyone to be vaccinated
- just that most folks have been fully vaxed
- My answers to 3+4 might change when more is known regarding a vaccine booster and how the pandemic has impacted NYC after a summer of less masking and social distancing both indoors and out. RE # 6, all indoor venues should have air circulation and filtering meeting CDC standards for purifying air as long as the pandemic remains an issue.
- No concerns for dancing with other vaccinated people. Not sure if vaccination should be a requirement to dance with others indoors.
- Others not being vaccinated fully and not admitting to it – outdoors ok, but indoors no. New variances. May change my mind in the fall when indoors feels/is safer.
- To be reassured that everyone has been fully vaccinated
Venue
- Depending on the venue. I would prefer a large airy space, like the school.
- Regarding Q# 3. I would, providing a well ventilated space, lots of open windows, and all dancers are vaccinated (with proof). #7 — W/shops should be part of Club Night – i.e review & w/s the calls that break down. Disclosure: I can’t really dance m/s plus while meniscus is still an issue.
Zoom dancing (headphones)
- I am willing to dance outdoors with a caller, but not with telephone conference call
- I will dance outdoors with a caller, not via telephone conference call
- I’m not interested in any zoom/virtual dancing or where wearing earbuds is required. Outdoor might work while the weather cooperates, but prefer a live caller. Not ready to return to indoor dancing until a greater