You’ll have seen the cancellations and postponements of ballet performances and events worldwide where massed gatherings were planned, from organisations taking advice from their respective public health bodies, as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Just this morning, this excellent guidance arrived from Queensland Ballet.

Ballet News contacted a number of leading UK ballet companies and schools for comment. Only one responded, The Royal Opera House, with a link to the Coronavirus FAQ’s on their website. The aim of this request was to pass on any advice these organisations are offering their dancers, staff and guests, because I know that some of you do not have access to professional or vocational training/advice.

The news surrounding the Coronavirus is difficult to hear. It may provoke feelings of anxiety.

It is okay to be worried. There are things you can do to reduce this. Knowledge is power, and I encourage everyone to seek out trusted sources of information, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO). Decide when you want to hear about the latest updates, and then move away. Try not to emerge an hour later, having inadvertently fallen into the social media rabbit hole of conjecture and mis-information. The more you know & understand (from factual, unbiased news sources) about the Coronavirus situation as well as the science behind viruses – for example, how long they can remain active on different surfaces – the less worried you will be.

Also, it is not all doom. I want to highlight this beautiful video, from the residents of a street in Siena, Italy, currently in lockdown, singing to each other.

This is how a strong community spirit bolsters mental strength and positivity. Another way to foster this positive spirit is to offer to help others, being mindful of the advice around social distancing (particularly, extensive social distancing and its importance). Here is a note that you can print and circulate to your neighbours if you want to help your community.

This is not my image, the origin is unknown but it is being widely and freely shared on social media as a way of offering help. I encourage everyone to get creative and use this as a guide to help make your own

Here is a superb explanation about the #COVID19 Coronavirus, soap and supramolecular chemistry by Palli Thordarson, Professor, School of Chemistry, UNSW :

If you prefer to read an unrolled version of the above tweets, it’s here.

Palli Thordarson answers some of the questions :

This is not intended as a guide to dealing with Coronavirus. Your public health organisations are best placed to do that. I do want to highlight additional useful information.

This story by The Washington Post has been made freely available to readers so that it’s contents can be available to all. The feature explains why outbreaks such as Coronavirus spread exponentially and how to flatten the curve. It’s absolutely brilliant. The simulations are unique to your reading of the story and if you go back and read it again they will change.

Hopefully you’re thoroughly washing your hands more often with soap & hot water for twenty seconds.

Whenever you can’t be certain that your hands are scrupulously clean, current advice is that you shouldn’t touch your face. Easier said than done, right? So why do we touch our faces? Turns out it’s a subconscious reflex action designed stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, to calm, comfort or soothe. What do you do if you’re suddenly surprised by something? Put your hands over your mouth. What about if you’re upset? Same thing. Stopping is difficult but here’s one tactic : whenever practical, clasp your hands together. That way, when your subconscious mind signals to raise your hands to your face you will be more aware of it, hopefully in time to stop your hands from actually landing on your face.

So, your hands are clean : Do you clean your phone? Here’s how :

Coronavirus: How to clean your smartphone safely

Other things you can do now

give yoga with Adriene a try
  • Prioritise your sleep because it is important for your immune system
  • Another boost for your immune system comes in the form of yoga. Breath, to be specific. Adriene Mishler (yoga with Adriene on YouTube) designs a 30 day yoga journey each January. It’s designed like a book: each day is a new chapter which builds on the previous day, and the 30 are designed to be practiced consecutively over the course of the month. This year’s practice, Breath, was created to help during the pandemic and all are welcome – you don’t have to be a yogi to begin. You can also sign up to receive a daily email which goes deeper and prepares you for each day.
  • Meditate daily. I recommend headspace, because the content is produced by Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk
  • Try SRI – (Somato Respiratory Integration). This is a stress reducing practice you can learn very quickly that will help to restore calm when you’re tense. These are challenging times, and you might be feeling overwhelmed by the news or frustrated because you don’t know what to do about feeling stressed. SRI teaches you to notice the build-up of stress, whether its cause is physical (repeated movements, or lack of movement), chemical (food, toxins, alcohol) or emotional (conflicts).  Stage 1 is simple to practice & there are 12 to build the series.

The situation changes daily, often more frequently than that, and so I will update this piece whenever I have useful information to add.

If you work in the ballet industry and have been given advice you’d like to share publicly and help others, please add it in the comments below or contact me directly.

If you find yourself in a position where you need to audition for a job or a school via zoom or video, here is some excellent advice specifically for you :