The Arabesque School of Dance in Blaine was among those forced to close in November because of the pandemic. Now, re-opened again, it’s a relief.
“It was great. The parents appreciated it, the dancers appreciated it,” said co-owner Shelly Walberg. “It was so welcoming to see everyone come back into the studio, smiling faces with their masks on of course.”
With masks on, and dancing at a distance, things are a bit different. Some lockers don’t comply with the guidelines so they can’t be used, and there’s added sanitizing. But they’re happy to do it all, just to be open again.
“We sanitize before class, we sanitize after class, we sanitize when they walk out the door,” said Walberg. “We’re putting a lot more safety issues into everything as well.”
It’s been tough financially, but Walberg says the re-opening came at a good time.
“I did get a few new dancers that signed up this past week so that’s encouraging. I’ve heard from people who didn’t come back saying they plan on coming back next year, they just want to take a pause this year. So I think we’ll be successful.”
Walberg adds the federal PPP loan and a helpful property manager were factors in getting through all those months when they couldn’t hold classes. She’s hoping for no more shutdowns in the future.
