August/Septmber, 2021

After spending most of 2020 dancing at home on zoom, the last thing many of us at KADS were

expecting was to replicate that this year. For the past month, the students at KADS have once

again, set up their laptops in their kitchens, lounge rooms, bedrooms and backyards and have

continued to do what we have proven to do best time and time again. Adapt and overcome.

We have adapted to the rules and laws in place, the teaching staff at KADS have continued to

look online for costumes, choreograph and clean routines for our end of year performance whilst

keeping us entertained and happy with fun discos, workshops and weeks dedicated to ensuring

all students are still taking care of and maintaining a good level of mental health.

During times such as these, it is beyond important that we continue to do what we love to do.

Each week, students have been encouraged to log on and give everything a go to the best of our

abilities. The KADS teaching staff constantly show their gratitude for the support and energy we

are still able to offer during such trying and uncertain days as well as show their understanding on

days where it all feels to much and we simply cannot get in front of our screens.

On a personal level, this lockdown has proven to be quite difficult. I am currently in my final year

of a full time performing arts course, most of my experience in this course has been online. It is

easy to reflect on this as a negative, and I have. However, I have recently started working on

increasing my gratitude. This situation is not ideal, but how lucky are we that we have fallen in

love with a hobby that we are able to continue training in from the comfort of our homes? We

have seen people miss out on their soccer games, swimming lessons and basketball

tournaments, just to name a few. We have even seen Melbourne miss out on hosting the AFL

grand final for two years now. As dancers, we have had the beautiful opportunity to maintain our

training from our motivated and persistent mentors, and although the circumstances are far from

ideal, we are so blessed.

This information however should not deflect any emotion felt regarding your situation, all feelings

and emotions are valid. I still continue to have days where opening my laptop and dancing in my

kitchen proves to be quite the task. However, the rewarding feeling of knowing that I have worked

to improve myself and my skill in this art makes the difficult moments worth it. To see the pride of

our teachers watching our classes through their screens is a beautiful thing to reflect on as well.

Their energy and persistence in keeping our classes interesting and challenging is something that

should never go un noticed or unappreciated.

KADS continues to work towards an end of year show. As we reach the end of term 3, almost all

routines have been completed and refined. There are many back up plans regarding our concert,

however, the biggest goal for all of us it to make it on stage. Whether that be at the end of this

year as usual or at another organised date, everyones hard work will pay off. We will get to

perform, together, on stage, again..