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Popular South Coast Dance Class Reaches Out To Shut-Ins After Being Pushed Online By Pandemic

The coronavirus crisis has disrupted all types of businesses and activities on the Central and South Coasts.

It shut down a popular dance class in Santa Barbara.  But, not only has it found a new home online, it’s actually been thriving by being able to reach out to shut-ins, as well as people who live elsewhere.

The pandemic hasn’t stopped them.  In fact, it has turned what was a Santa Barbara dance class into a national dance class.

A decade ago, Janet Reineck founded the non-profit “World Dance For Humanity.”  The idea was simple:  To not just share dance, but to use it as a way to raise money and awareness, and do good around the world.  The organization has been focused on Rwanda, where it’s supported agricultural and educational programs.

But, COVID-19 disrupted the in-person classes. Reineck says they had to improvise, which meant developing am online program.

The free, daily zoom classes not only caught on, they attract participants from all over the country.

And, for those in COVID-19 high risks groups who are shut-ins, the classes are a gift, supplying both exercise and social interaction.

Reineck says it was initially hard to do classes where she didn’t have the feedback of being with her students, but soon figured out how to connect with them.

The World Dance for Humanity classes are free, and online daily at 10 a.m. 

Link to World Dance for Humanity:   worlddanceforhumanity.org

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.