Thousands of young dance students will be heading back to ballet, jazz, hip-hop and other classes across the country this week, but there's been confusion around how their lessons will work.
The Government's Covid-19 National Response team confirmed late this afternoon that dance studios can follow the same rules used by offices, gyms and public venues like museums, galleries, community centres and libraries under Level 2.
That means large classes, including those with more than 10 participants, can go ahead as long as the venue is big enough to allow students to space out safely.
"Measures must be taken to ensure that everyone in the venue is safe, including making sure that people keep at least one metre from each other, and a contact tracing register of staff, visitors and clients is kept," a spokesperson told 1 NEWS.
"They would also need to uphold safety and hygiene requirements – such as regularly disinfecting surfaces and equipment, have areas for hand washing, and ensuring anyone who is sick does not attend."
The spokesperson also confirmed the rules around social gathering, which are designed to stop groups larger than 10 congregating in certain circumstances, do not apply to dance classes.
"The key is for businesses and public venues to operate safely within the physical distancing rules," they said.
"The gatherings that have limits on numbers relate to where people come together for specific purposes, such as to celebrate weddings, or congregate for religious services."
That means some classes will need to restrict their numbers, but only if their venue is not large enough to allow for proper social distancing.
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