Why Our June Outdoor Recital Mattered

Why Our June Outdoor Recital <strong>Mattered</strong>

Why Our June Outdoor Recital Mattered

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Why Our June Outdoor Recital Mattered for Kids’ Well‑Being

On June 5th, 6th, and 7th, when most theaters were dark and many studios had canceled their recitals, our school chose a different path. We built an outdoor stage at the South Coast Botanic Garden and hosted a fully live, in‑person performance—designed around public‑health guidance so families could celebrate their dancers with confidence.

You can even read about our show from the perspective of our backdrop design partner in their article “Going the Social Distance”:

 

https://originatorsdesign.com/2021/07/going-the-social-distance/

Why a live, outdoor show mattered for kids and families

During COVID‑19 restrictions, children and teens experienced major disruptions to school, activities, and social life. Research links those disruptions and absences to increased anxiety, loneliness, and stress, and to negative effects on social‑emotional development. A brief on absenteeism explains that missing school and normal routines “can have detrimental effects on academic outcomes as well as social‑emotional development, which affects future student success.”​

The Effects of Absenteeism on Academic and Social‑Emotional Outcomes (Policy Analysis for California Education / UCLA):

 

https://edpolicyinca.org/publications/effects-absenteeism-academic-and-social-emotional-outcomes

By safely holding a live show, we aimed to:

  • Restore a sense of normalcy and accomplishment for dancers who had trained all year.
  • Give families a shared, joyful event to look forward to in a stressful time.
  • Support children’s emotional well‑being through performance, routine, and community.

A systematic review of dance in children and adolescents found that dance participation is associated with better psychological well‑being, reduced anxiety, improved mood, and higher self‑esteem.​

The Physiological and Psychological Benefits of Dance in Children and Adolescents (NCBI / PMC):

 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9234256/

Why we moved the recital outdoors

Public‑health experts emphasized that outdoor settings are safer than indoor spaces for respiratory virus transmission, because fresh air disperses particles more effectively. During the pandemic, health guidance encouraged moving gatherings outdoors, increasing ventilation, reducing crowd density, and limiting time in shared spaces to lower risk.​

A research summary from the University of Sydney, looking at dance and mental health, noted that safe participation in movement activities during and after COVID included adapting environments—using larger and outdoor spaces, limiting crowding, and controlling attendance—so people could keep the benefits of in‑person movement while minimizing risk.​

University of Sydney – Dancing may be better than other exercise for improving mental health:

 

https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2024/02/12/dancing-may-be-better-than-other-exercise-for-improving-mental-h.html

Following these kinds of principles, we:

  • Relocated our recital to the South Coast Botanic Garden.
  • Built a full outdoor stage and truss‑frame backdrop.
  • Used timed performance blocks and spread the show across three days to keep crowd sizes low.

Our backdrop partner later wrote about this in detail, describing how we “moved the location to an outdoor venue and took every precaution, including spreading the recital out over 3 days” and how the event created “a safe environment that imbued everyone with confidence and a peace of mind.”
Going the Social Distance – The Originators:

 

https://originatorsdesign.com/2021/07/going-the-social-distance/

How we approached safety: beyond the minimum

During COVID, schools and programs were asked to balance safety with continuity of learning and development. The California Department of Education’s Learning Continuity and Attendance Plan framework emphasized:

  • Adjusting schedules and grouping to avoid large gatherings.
  • Creating clear spacing and traffic‑flow plans.
  • Communicating expectations to families.​

California Department of Education – Learning Continuity and Attendance Plan:

 

https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/lc/learningcontattendplan.asp

Guidance on inclusive attendance policies also encouraged flexible, thoughtful approaches so students could stay engaged while still being protected.​

University of Denver – Embracing Inclusive Approaches to Attendance Policies:

 

https://otl.du.edu/embracing-inclusive-approaches-to-attendance-policies/

In that spirit, our recital plan included:

  • Extensive social distancing: audiences seated well beyond the standard 6‑foot spacing used in CDC guidance.
  • Crowd control: limited tickets per block, staggered call times, and clear entry/exit routes.
  • Extended schedule: three days of shows to keep each audience group small and manageable.

These measures mirrored what school and community guidance described as best practice for maintaining essential developmental experiences while reducing risk.

The emotional impact: “forget about the world for a few hours”

Research during and after the pandemic underscores how important positive shared experiences were for children’s mental health. Reviews of dance interventions show that dance:

  • Improves mood and emotional well‑being.
  • Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  • Enhances self‑esteem, body image, and social connection.

The Physiological and Psychological Benefits of Dance in Children and Adolescents:

 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9234256/

Effects of a dance intervention on loneliness and self‑concept:

 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11762727/

Recreational dance research also shows that people who participate in dance report higher subjective well‑being and intrinsic motivation compared to many other forms of physical activity.​

Shall We Dance? Recreational Dance, Well‑Being and Productivity:

 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9133908/

Popular science pieces from major institutions echo this:

By creating a safe outdoor space where dancers could perform, see their friends, and be applauded by their families, we aimed to give our community exactly that kind of experience. As The Originators wrote about our event, the careful planning “enabled all attendees and performers to forget about the world for even a few hours”—the kind of joy and connection child‑development experts now recognize as vital for resilience in difficult times.

You can read their full article about our show here:

 

https://originatorsdesign.com/2021/07/going-the-social-distance/

Sources 

  1. Policy Analysis for California Education / UCLA – The Effects of Absenteeism on Academic and Social‑Emotional Outcomes 
  2. https://edpolicyinca.org/publications/effects-absenteeism-academic-and-social-emotional-outcomes
  3. California Department of Education – Learning Continuity and Attendance Plan 
  4. https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/lc/learningcontattendplan.asp
  5. University of Denver – Embracing Inclusive Approaches to Attendance Policies 
  6. https://otl.du.edu/embracing-inclusive-approaches-to-attendance-policies/
  7. University of Sydney – Dancing may be better than other exercise for improving mental health 
  8. https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2024/02/12/dancing-may-be-better-than-other-exercise-for-improving-mental-h.html
  9. NCBI / PMC – The Physiological and Psychological Benefits of Dance in Children and Adolescents 
  10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9234256/
  11. NCBI / PMC – Effects of a 16‑week dance intervention on loneliness and self‑concept 
  12. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11762727/
  13. NCBI / PMC – Shall We Dance? Recreational Dance, Well‑Being and Productivity 
  14. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9133908/
  15. Harvard Medical School – Dancing and the Brain 
  16. https://hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/dancing-brain
  17. National Geographic – How Dance Boosts Brain and Mood 
  18. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/how-dance-boosts-brain-and-mood
  19. The Originators – Going the Social Distance (article about our recital) 
  20. https://originatorsdesign.com/2021/07/going-the-social-distance/