The Cerritos College Dance department lost more than being able to dance in their studios. They lost a lifestyle.

From practicing in a standalone dance building with two brand new studios to practicing in a bedroom, Dance students and faculty have found it difficult to adapt to the new change.

Before the pandemic occurred, Dance students and faculty were preparing for their dance concert that was originally scheduled to take place in March.

A day before the concert, Dance faculty and members received the terrible news that the Spring Concert would suddenly have to be cancelled due to the rise of COVID-19.

Rebekah Hathaway, the department chair of Dance at Cerritos College, reflects on the cancellation of the Spring Concert and Dance classes being moved to online.

“It was an emotional blow. Cast members, faculty, and myself were devastated and sad that the concert had to be cancelled.”

Hathaway went on to say that over 300 people were to attend the Spring Concert, along with 80-100 cast members being in it.

According to Hathaway, this spring concert would’ve been different than any other one in the past.

“We were actually collaborating with the Music and Theater department, which we haven’t done in a while, to create a theme based on old musicals and movies about immigrants in America,” Hathaway explained.

Since moving to online learning, enrollment for Dance has dropped. Hathaway and Chritsine Gregory, who is the Dance department’s repertory director, have been encouraging students to perform old dances from past concerts at home.

“On Sunday Dec.6, we’re having our student choreography class post their films on Youtube that they have been working on this semester,” Hathaway said. The students’ choreography films will be left up for a week and then taken down.

Once allowed back on campus, Hathaway and her faculty already have a plan set forth for classes, concerts and other events.

“We would consider taking the process slow with stair stepped plans. Instructors would be able teach outside on grass with a limited amount of students in each class along with blocking off certain areas in the dance studio.”

For concerts, Hathaway explained that they would be limited if not streamed live.

Despite seeing the unfortunate decrease in enrollment for Dance this semester, Hathaway still has hope once it’s safe to go back to campus.

“Once things are safe, I think our students will come flooding back. The pandemic made us realize that being around people is important and that dance connects us all.”