When asked how the first weeks of distance learning have been for their respective classes, the general sentiment expressed by San Mateo High School performing arts teachers was “slowly.” When you can’t hear your band or choir playing because they’re all on mute, or can’t see if your dancers are on time with the music, it makes giving feedback much harder. These teachers are having to wait until their students can send them videos after class to give feedback that would have happened immediately in person, making the whole learning process far more inefficient.
Educational performing arts spaces have always been community oriented, and working together as a whole class is difficult through zoom. “The big issue… is I have a lot of social dynamic things that I teach by putting students in leadership positions and putting students in the position of mentoring freshman who come into the music program,” says Mr. Tribuzi, longtime band director and teacher. He attributes freshmen staying in his program partly to those relationships. Dance teacher Ms. Reidy has been utilizing team building exercises to try to overcome this issue, but faces awkward sessions in comatose breakout rooms. When you can’t talk to people in smaller groups, friendships are hard to build. One of the biggest challenges of working online in any class is the disconnect, but this is especially prevalent when trying to foster a community.
The lack of performance opportunities for aptly titled performing arts classes can also provide a shift in curriculum. A pep band can still learn pep music, but won’t have any football games to play it at. In light of these setbacks, choir teacher Mr. Reifschneider is taking this opportunity to delve deeper into the art of songs without a looming concert date hanging over their heads. He hopes to explore vocal techniques he hasn’t previously taught, as well as focus more on the history of songs, rather than just singing them.
The big question when it comes to performing arts education, even outside of SMHS, is whether or not it is as valuable as in person learning. Will students get as much out of taking these classes as they have in previous years?
According to first year musical theatre and drama teacher Ms. Wozniak, the answer is no. “You’re sacrificing the connections, especially in theatre, the feedback you get from performing in front of people. I think I worry that it’s enhancing their stage fright… because you’re watching yourself, you’re inside your own head,” she says. You can still teach material over a video call, but you can’t make eye contact with a scene partner, you can’t find your note with your vocal part, and that disconnect makes the learning experience less valuable.
At the end of the day, theatre, dance, band and choir classes march on, in tune with the general current philosophy in the industry that “it’s only intermission.” Whether or not they’re learning as much as they would have, these classes remain a safe space for students to express themselves, practice their passion and artistry, and hone their craft. Students and teachers will continue to enjoy participating in them, and when intermission is finally over, they’ll be back and better than ever.