How to make the most out of an online class 

Dinah Hampson, Dance Physiotherapist, Pivot Dancer, Founder

Making the most of your online class is easy with a few quick tips.

• Plan your schedule in advance.  
• Find a space where you have room to move and the flooring surface will work for you.
• Gather your supplies before class time.

Planning your online classes in advance improves your accountability for attendance.  The online classes become a part of your regular schedule.  It can be easier to skip an online class because you don’t have to travel somewhere, sign in, or see your favourite teacher missing you.  Making the class a part of your weekly calendar prepares your brain and keeps your schedule front of mind.  Online classes are an excellent way to fit more quality programming into your week with lower travel time and facility fees.  At Pivot Dancer adding your registrations to your own calendar will translate the class time zone to your local time, preventing those pesky time zone conversion errors.

Online classes don’t require a lot of space but making sure you have enough room for your barre, or your mat, is important.  If you need to jump in the class, pick a room with a higher ceiling.  Save the really short basement for mobility sessions ☺ We find dancers are doing our online classes in studios but also in kitchens, hallways, balconies and even fields.  All of these are great (weather dependent) but be mindful of the flooring.  Jumping on concreate is really hard on shock absorption and poor choice of flooring can contribute to increased dancer injury risk. (Russel) You can modify hard flooring by standing on a yoga mat and wearing running shoes. If you need to slide, beware of carpet for high friction and rug burn abrasions.  Your Apolla socks come in handy for adding grip or slide where you need it!

Online classes will often use equipment.  Dumbbells, resistance bands, Pilates balls, and yoga blocks are common tools for online classes.  I recommend a small bag to hold: 2 long resistance bands, 2 resistance loop bands, one 7-10” Pilates ball, and a small rubber ball.  This makes a perfect “portable gym”!  Water bottles and books can function as dumbbells.  I’ve even used food from the fridge and plants as weights.  Upside down pots make for excellent steps and stools.  You can be creative but gather your supplies before you start class.  Online classes are all about maximizing efficiency and getting you the MOST experience for the LEAST cost and travel effort.

Online classes are the perfect opportunity to taste test from the amazing buffet of training available via the internet.  You can sample classes from instructors you’d never get to see in person and find community with other participants from around the globe.  Don’t be afraid to jump in and see what’s available to you, not just at home but from something completely new to you.  Pro tip: check the currency for your online class.  You might be able to save some money through currency exchange rates!  We would love to hear from you about challenges you encounter with online training so that we can help you find solutions.  Online platforms are really interactive.  We use a messaging system on our app and we look forward to saying hello.

Russell, Jeffrey A. “Preventing Dance Injuries: Current Perspectives.” Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 4, Sept. 2013, pp. 199–210, https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJSM.S36529.