Is it a gym or a day camp? Local dance studio confused over reopening guidelines
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SAN DIEGO, CA (KSBW) — At this stage in the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions and reopening guidelines in San Diego County’s public health order have created confusion in some sectors of the economy, including for those working the local dance industry.
According to county public health officials, dance studios can choose to classify either as a gym or a day camp, and then follow the respective guidelines for each.
“Day camp? Like, for kids?” asked David Stein, who along with his wife Jennifer are owners and directors of Majesty in Motion Dance Studio in the College Area.
Although it might be odd to classify a dance studio as a day camp, it also might be the answer some San Diego-area studio owners are looking for after recent state orders tightened restrictions on businesses such as gyms and hair salons.
“The order was just directed to fitness and gyms and yoga studios,” Jennifer Stein said, “and I don’t see any difference of having a space like this if it’s an indoor activity.”
Instead of focusing on dancing in the past four months, the Steins have been closed since mid-March, navigating the ups and downs of state and local guidelines. The studio had a soft reopening after gyms were allowed to reopen in June, but restrictions soon were back into place as the state’s COVID-19 numbers surged.
Classifying as a day camp — rather than a gym — allows for some indoor activity in small numbers, according to the county.
But for now, the Steins said Majesty in Motion will continue to provide online lessons. They’re also considering holding dance classes in a nearby park since their parking lot is shared with a number of other businesses.
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