The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a new set of challenges for the performing arts. In mid-Michigan, K-12 school districts have adapted their fine arts extracurricular programs through virtual performances and rehearsals to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Virtual theater productions
Okemos sophomore Miles Nowlin has dedicated his life to the arts and theater since he was in middle school and has carried on this passion during the pandemic, through a screen.
“It was definitely a lot different from live theater,” Nowlin said. “The first time around, there were of course, things we had to figure out. Like, how this could work. And once we figured that out the second time around, it was a lot easier. But yeah, it was just something to get used to.”
Nowlin has been a part of two online theater productions at Okemos.
Okemos High School students will be performing their third virtual production this May, “High School Musical.” The school previously put on “The Big One-Oh”, a Zoomsical, and “WOHS Radio: the 39 Steps.”
Chad Swan-Badgero, theater director at Okemos High School, said virtual directing has been a learning experience. He describes the production as a three-part process: learning music, recording vocals and filming scenes.
“I think that the big learning curve for us was actually how to teach music, teach choreography … from afar when a lot of times just being in person aids in that process,” said Badgero.
Artistic activities engage students in school
Pursuing virtual productions at Okemos High School was in part to give students an outlet for their mental health.
“We thought it was better for us to give the kids some access to theater during this time versus none,” said Badgero.
Although virtual theater is different, Nowlin said performing and other extracurricular activities are what keeps him motivated at school.
“I say it definitely has an impact on my motivation. You know, I take part in band and choir also,” Nowlin said. “So those are kind of motivations, but other theater is always like, well, I gotta do it. And I may not like math. And I may not like history, but I’ll go to school so that I can go to theater afterward.”
Isabella Martellini, student at Okemos High School, has been involved in both virtual and in-person productions since before the pandemic.
“I fell in love with different aspects of the performance,” said Martellini. “Even if you’re really passionate about performing, it’s not at all like performing in-person … it was very stressful, actually, because it’s a different kind of stress that wasn’t there before.”
Annabella Joy, playing the role of Sharpay Evans in Okemos High School’s virtual production of High School Musical and former jazz band member, said it’s harder to enjoy performing without in-person interaction with castmates.
“Theater is a very niche type of activity, so a lot of kids who are in theater only really enjoy performing and only really like music,” said Joy. “If that’s, like, your main outlet as a student then I think it could definitely affect your mental health.”
Virtual Dance Classes
Everett Dance teacher reaches out even online
Everett High School’s dance program has been around since 1974, and in the pandemic dance director Clara Martinez has had to make adjustments to continue bringing the arts to high school students.
“I’ve taught dance in a variety of different contexts … but I think there’s something really exciting about that time in your life,” Martinez said. “You have the whole world and your whole life ahead of you and students are just excited to do their best and get ready to go to college and explore, and so it’s a really fun age to work with and they make my day.”
She has been teaching dance online to her students since last March. Dance has served her well in life.
“I had that one teacher, that one class that I always looked forward to every day and it helps you get through the day, it helps you express who you are,” Martinez said.
She has a bachelor of fine arts in dance from Ohio State University and worked in Lansing before applying to Everett.
The value of arts is something she continues to experience.
Martinez said, “It’s not just about being obedient, you know, you’re just not, you’re not told to sit at your desk and be quiet and you know, work on your worksheet. You’re really working with students to help draw out parts of themselves that maybe they don’t get to express anywhere else.”
Before the year began, Martinez’s coworkers asked her how she planned to continue having a sense of community in her virtual dance classrooms.
“We’re telling them to only function within this virtual space. It’s so important for them to be able to engage and to learn social skills, and so I think the arts provide an opportunity for students to learn those social skills,” Martinez said.
She said she brings the same energy to her online classrooms with the hopes of soon meeting and interacting with her students in person.
“As people are coming in, I just have a song playing, and then we do a check-in, we share good news, sometimes I ask them an attendance question to see if I can learn a little bit more about them,” Martinez said. “A lot of my students I’ve had before, so I know them in real life and then there’s a fair amount of them that I’ve never met in person, and so it’s about getting to know them and establishing a relationship with them, even when they’re online.”