Ballet classes move to living rooms amid pandemic

İZMİR

The art of ballet, known as the symbol of elegance, beauty and will, moved from classrooms surrounded by full-length mirrors and ballet bars to living rooms of houses during the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected and caused changes in many branches of art.

Ballet, which requires hours of hard training every day for long years to achieve an aesthetic stance and presentation, is one of these branches of art that has been affected by the pandemic.

Ballet students now have the advantage of online trainings offered by their art schools.

Within the scope of coronavirus, though some students have started face to face training in classrooms of their schools that provide ballet education, many have chosen living rooms of their homes instead, thanks to computers and giant screens.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, İpek Sanıtürk, headmaster at Tan Sağtürk Academy Mavişehir Ballet and Dance Educations Center, said that they would continue their online programs during the ongoing pandemic.

Stating that there are positive and negative aspects of online education, Sanıtürk said that as ballet teachers, they make an effort for students to overcome the pandemic phase with the least damage, and they especially want to minimize the psychological effects.

“Our trainers diversified their teaching techniques in order to reach their students through computer screens in the best and most efficient way,” she said, adding that students were passionately attached to ballet during this difficult period.

Drawing attention to the fact that professional dancers and conservatory students worldwide have also been continuing their lessons online, Sanıtürk said that ballet requires maintaining constant body shape.

“It is very important to keep this branch of art alive. Everyone should work selflessly. In Turkey, both ballet and conservatory students are continuing their studies in their home with necessary tools,” she said.

Referring to the negative impact of the pandemic on ballet education as seen in all areas, Sanıtürk said, “Very old, well-established ballet schools and art schools were closed during this period.”

She also said that missing even one class disturbs the natural rhythm in ballet education.

“I believe that diversifying teaching and learning styles will positively affect our next education process,” she added.