The owners of Music City All Stars recognized early that the coronavirus would make it hard to have lots of students in a studio together.  

In March, the competitive dance studio based at the TOA Sports Performance Center in Franklin started creating a virtual studio. 

“We had no virtual education, no virtual curriculum already intact at this point. We basically had to start from scratch. It was  a lot of Googling,” Studio Relations Manager Mati Anderson said.

Music City All Stars Zoom

The studio pre-recorded dance classes and loaded messages from teachers onto a website for students. In addition to that pre-recorded material, instructors are still hosting their normal classes on Zoom meetings. 

“It's a big Brady Bunch situation,” Anderson said. “As a teacher you're able to give personal corrections to each and every student, say their name, keep them engaged, keep them accountable like we would in a normal class setting.”

Music City All Stars switched to online classes in March.

The vast majority of students have stuck with the classes after the move online. Anderson said it’s made her realize how important it is for students to have dance while they are stuck at home. It gives them a chance to be active and stay connected with friends outside of school. 

Anderson said the hardest part about the moving the studio online is losing the energy of a large group dancing together, but instructors and students are doing their best to keep that energy going.  

“There's something about interaction and human connection, especially in dance. Dance is all about performing for other people, being in large events, large spaces with a bunch of people,” she said. “You definitely lose that energy, but the kids are still so on fire. They're so excited to see their friends, even if it's through a little screen. It still keeps that energy alive.”

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS is a series documenting how small businesses in Williamson County are adapting to the coronavirus outbreak.

If you know about a business that is using a creative approach to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak send an email to matt@businesswilliamson.com.