What is your scene's re-opening plan as of right now? Have dances/group lessons started up again?

Boston has started doing weekly outdoor dances. You have to register for each dance, and send in proof of vaccination, and they only disclose the location to people who've successfully registered and proven they're vaccinated - no one's allowed to pass the information on to others. Once you get there, masks are optional, but there are colored wristbands to designate comfort level regarding masks and solo vs partnered dances. It helps that our state has really good vaccination rates, and cases have been relatively low.

We haven't resumed lessons yet though. The outdoor dances do include a beginner lesson, but that's about it.

Baltimore (Mobtown Ballroom): first indoor dance is tomorrow night. Masks are not required but proof of full vaccination is required. They sold advance tickets and sold out. There will be live music. Baltimore Metro Area Data: 58.5% 1 dose, 54.2% 2 doses. 1.6 daily new cases per 100k.

DC: A few Gottaswing locations are opening and proof of vaccination is required. Tickets are required in advance. New Columbia Swing has not reopened yet. DC Metro Area Data: 59.3% 1 dose, 52.6% 2 doses. 2.3 daily new cases per 100k

Edit to add current vaccination and case rates from covidactnow.org

Seattle: Century hosted their first swing last night. No masks, proof of vaccination required at the door. Dancing 'til Dusk will happen in August. They're outdoors events, open to anyone who wanders by, so they're requiring masks.

We're about to start back weekly dances and drop in beginner lessons with proof of vaccination required to be submitted more than 24 hours before the event.

Ontario, Canada

No plan as of now! No lessons either, except online ones.

There are a few companies that do other styles of dance that are offering lessons masked and outside in small groups, I wish the two companies that offer swing would do the same. The steps/plan with other companies seems to be

• small group lessons masked and outside
• small group lessons outside, no masks, everyone vaccinated
• small group lessons inside, everyone vaccinated
• small group lessons inside, vaccinated, with partner swapping
• larger group lessons and small dances, vaccinated
• all back to normal, everyone vaccinated + those who have proof they are unable to be vaccinated

We move through the steps as vaccinations rise and case levels continue to drop. If case levels rise, I assume we would be moving back down (with provincial order, if necessary)

In Seattle WA, we have three weekly dances that have started over the last few weeks. The first couple had limited capacity. All of them require proof of vaccination, and there's no mask requirement on the dance floor.

[deleted]

UK here, restrictions officially lift next week but cases are high. There are some outdoor socials starting in August in larger cities, and there are refresher workshops and classes provided you are partnered with the same person for the day.

It will be a while before indoor socials and lessons return I think. not many people I know have had two vaccine doses yet.

Huntsville, AL-

I host biweekly swing dances at my house. If we have enough people, we split between houses and livestream over zoom between them so that we only need one set of DJ's. We had a dj from a neighboring scene do a set over the livestream last time. We check vaccine cards at the door.

We would love if another scene wanted to join the stream Monday nights 7:00 CDT. I think the setup we've got scales fairly well.

there are a couple of biweekly local practice groups hosted at people's houses starting up in August. I think they will check vaccine cards.

Our scene doesn't have any public events planned. We lost our venue over the pandemic. Our state passed a law prohibiting businesses from checking vaccination status (I don't know if that applies to nonprofits). Over half the people in our area aren't vaccinated yet, and our county is still having a couple of deaths per week to covid-19.

Local scenes of other genres of dance have started back up with indoor dances without publicized precautions. A swing dance scene a couple hours away has started back up with weekly dances without publicized precautions as well.

DFW Texas: 2 local venues have opened up. It's Texas so we're not allowed to exclude people from a public event based on vaccination status.

Swinging at the Son's is limiting attendance to 150 people, masks are heavily encouraged for the non vaccinated, but other than that it's back to dancing.

FWSDS COVID information: from their event page:

• this event is open to the public, no RSVP needed
• if you are vaccinated, masks are not required unless you'd prefer to wear one
• if you're not vaccinated, we request you wear a mask
• the venue will be thoroughly sanitized before and after the dance
• multiple hand sanitizing stations will be provided
• although we are not requiring proof of vaccination, we trust individuals to consider their own well-being and have personal responsibility when it comes to their health

Minnesota, USA. Our scene is split. There are two main teaching venues and 4 main dance venues, with one teaching also being dancing and the other teaching not being dancing, but having strong ties to a dance venue that is not theirs. Instruction and dance opened as soon as it was able. The other instructors and their strongly connected venue have not reopened yet, but have had an online presence and have plans to be opening in the autumn. One of the other dance venues has their first dance close to now, but I don't remember if it has happened yet. The 4th venue was already on a hiatus before Covid was even significant abroad for reasons connected to the owners of the building. There have been a couple outdoor dances since the mask mandate has lifted, around the time vaccination rates were stagnating. Underground dances have continued and have now taken on some degree of legitimacy since larger crowds have been allowed again. One of the more contentious ones had built several outdoor 2-person dance floors.
Edit: Vaccination rates for the state are above the national average, but that is about 52% of the general population instead of 48% nationally.

Eastern WA here-

Some locations have been back indoors and in person since March, but others only reopened last month with light restrictions- outdoor dancing only. I know a few locations that only held dances outside to skirt the indoor capacity requirements and that felt a little sketchy.

No proof of vaccination required anywhere I’ve seen, and no mask requirements... I wish they would have played it a little safer out here. Glad to see other scenes being safe though!

ETA: state vaccination rates are good over all, so a lot of people feel safe enough, but the east side as a whole is more resistant to getting their shots.

Im in omaha ne. Dancing opened back up in may, but tonight is actually my first time back

Los Angeles is a split scene right now. One venue is back with lessons and masks and vaccine proof only. One venue is back with vaccines and masks. One venue was open with no precautions but recently shut with masks. There’s also been some outdoor stuff happening.

Campy Hollywood also got canceled this year so there’s that.