Lockdown was a major change for students worldwide - impacting both the present and future of education. An interview with Ella Maddick, an academic student, and Agnes Rosa, a full time dancer in training, answered questions about the two different lockdown experience as students.
Overall, what was your lockdown experience?
E: I wish I could have had a regular summer ( as does everyone ) but Im glad I had a chance to spend time with my family.
A: There were many challenges, impacting more than just me as an individual dancer, but my whole industry. However I’m grateful I could spend time with my family.
What advice would you give yourself going into another lockdown now having been through your previous experience?
E: I would tell myself to be productive as there is lots more tine to endeavour in new skills and the time would go quick fast when enjoying it.
A: Not to panic about getting behind on my dancing, as though many areas of my training would be affected, everyone is in the same position. I would also remind myself that i can improve on the smaller details, which I usually wouldn’t have time to focus on.
How did your school day differ at home as supposed to being In school?
E: We stuck to the same timetables of a regular school day, just swapping the science lab for my home sofa. Doing academic subjects allowed learning remotely much easier.
A: The amount of academic work definitely increased compared to the amount i usually had to do. It was also strange having less ballet lessons a day - doing two classes rather than 3. In some respects it allowed students to have less time struggling for space to dance in, but three would have been ideal.
What were the challenges you faced? How did you overcome them?
E: learning in general was quite difficult, with tech issues consistently and trying to understand the content through zoom. However, teachers were looking at their emails more and were always there to answer any queries and give more explanations to what i may have not understood in class, which was a positive improvement.
A: The very limited space me and my peers had to dance in was obviously a massive challenge. It was quite hard to even do a grande battlement most of the time, and a lot of areas of my dance had to be compromised. This also lead to loss of stamina because of the very restricting space, but with school back open now I’m able to recover, though i still have some classes via zoom.
Do you think lockdown has had a lasting impact on your education?
E: I think that this strange way of living and going to school will never be forgotten. School life is practically back to normal in the sense that i don’t take any classes from home but I think other people found it quite comfortable and will change to online school.
A: As previously mentioned, everyone needs to recover from loss of stamina, and there are many procedures that limit our classes. I think it has also had a lasting impact on the industry in general, the arts suffered a lot during this period and will continue to do so, so we as a population have to do all we can to support them.
