Levin dance teacher Kate Martin keeping one step ahead of Covid-19 virus

A Levin dance teacher is determined to keep her troupe one step ahead of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Kate Martin, who runs the Kate Martin School of Dance, is offering online dance classes to students as New Zealand adjusts to life in Level Four of the New Zealand Government's coronavirus response.

Martin has set up classes using the meeting app Zoom and has scheduled a timetable for live online classes that were the same or close to their usual timetable before the virus hit.

The classes are interactive, with Martin being able to demonstrate her tuition, as well as being able to watch the students and give feedback.

In addition to these classes, Martin had also given students their class genre exercises in video format so that they can practise anytime they want at home.

"It has been a huge learning curve and a lot of preparation and work to have to basically overnight adapt to this new way of teaching," she said.

Martin said she would continue teaching with the original class dates until the end of what was the school term on April 9th. They would have a two week holiday, before starting classes again on Monday 27th April for Term 2.

She felt privileged to have access to the technology be able to continue offering classes, when many other after school activities were cancelled.

"Hopefully in Term 2 we will be able to commence teaching in the studio. But if not we will continue with our online classes," she said.

"I hope students will have enjoyed their online dance classes and through this experience have developed skills around self discipline and motivation and good habits around practising at home."

Kate Martin School of Dance offers classes in Ballet, Jazz, HipHop, Contemporary and Acro Dance, also Pre-school Dance Classes and Adult Fitness classes.