IT'S Wednesday afternoon and a handful of kids are clearing a space on their bedroom floor to join a class on the Zoom platform.
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Unlike some virtual classes, online dancing requires a little more room.
Albury-Wodonga Dance Centre owner Glen Strauss said while space was an advantage, it need not be a deal breaker to enjoying a dance class.
Mr Strauss said people often used smaller spaces like bedrooms to allow privacy from others in the home.
"People have joined my dance classes who don't have a lot of space," he said.
"But dancing is all in the mind; it should get your mind racing and your heart rate going.
"It doesn't need to be like the aerobic workouts you see online that wear you out just looking at them; upper body dance movements are quite contained."
Having pivoted his 10 weekly classes online since COVID-19 restrictions came into play, Mr Strauss said there had been good uptake of adult ballroom dancing and salsa classes but fewer children had joined.
He said school children might be feeling fatigue from screen time, overall.
"Facebook Live dance sessions on Friday and Saturday nights have been popular," Mr Strauss said.
"We had people join in from New Zealand; another wanted to know how to pay for the class, which was nice of them but that's not the idea behind them (Facebook Lives)."
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Mr Strauss said he looked forward to reopening the studio with the Stage 2 easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
"We're all really missing the physical classes," he said.
"Ballroom dancing really helps people open up and build confidence; they gain self-esteem and decision-making."
Murray Youth Performing Arts transitioned from its last physical class on March 28, to online learning by Monday morning, March 30.
Having already investigated distance education options for remote students last year, MYPA director Libby Ellis said they had rapidly pivoted almost their whole timetable online.
"I'm really proud of the students and teachers for the way they have embraced the technology," she said.
Mrs Ellis said they looked forward to the studio reopening when it was deemed safe.
"The dance studio is so much more than a place to learn dance," Mrs Ellis said.
"MYPA has risen to the challenge and we always look for the silver linings."
Hume Dance School was quick to set dance challenges for students continuing to dance away from the studio post-COVID-19 restrictions.
A series of Move It Mondays challenges have complemented their online dance classes this term.
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