Health Updates

ACADEMY HEALTH INFORMATION

IBA COVid guidelines AS OF February 28th 2022

Dear IBA Students, Parents, and Faculty

It was recently announced that Washington Gov. Jay Inslee will be lifting the state indoor mask mandate on March 12th, and starting on March 1st, vaccine verification or proof of a negative COVID-19 test will no longer be required for attendance at large events.

In light of these events, the International Ballet Academy will make the following changes:

Masks will no longer be required for our faculty, dancers, and parents entering the studio starting March 12th, 2022.
Any student or parent that wants to continue wearing masks may continue to do so.
We will continue not to have Observation Weeks for the rest of this season to limit that traffic at our studio.
Make-up classes will still not be allowed for the short-term future.
Please continue to monitor the health of your dancer and family members.
If you have any symptoms, please stay at home and report any changes to your health to the IBA Front Office.
Dancers who have tested positive for COVID, please follow the guidelines stated in our January 2022 update.
Dancers may only return if they have no symptoms and have received a NEGATIVE Covid test.
For the time being, we will still be limiting access to the IBA studios for parents and academy members not actively participating in class ever after March 12th.
This means no parents may stay in the facility (Primary Level and above) unless in a volunteer capacity.
For dancers that have traveled internationally or nationally via an airline or crowded public transport, we ask that they receive a NEGATIVE COVID TEST 5 days after returning from their trip before resuming in-studio lessons.
The International Ballet Theatre will be subject to the rules and requirements of the specific venues at which they perform.
We will continue to offer online options for our Children's and Primary Program Classes.

These guidelines are subject to change and may be updated with new information from Washington State.

We thank you for your patience during the past two years and for having the courage to weather this storm. By working together, we have not only survived a pandemic that shut down the world, but we have managed to thrive.

Washington State will still require masks in health care settings, like hospitals and doctor's offices, and at long-term care facilities and prisons and jails. They will also still be required on public transit, taxis and rideshares, and school buses.

Please continue to stay healthy so that we may continue to dance and take part in the beauty of this incredible art form.

Thank you

IBA COVid guidelines AS OF January 2022

As we enter a new year, we are thankfully seeing progress in our recovery from COVID-19 and are now updating our health guidelines to be in line with CDC regulations. However, the International Ballet Academy will still take all positive COVID-19 cases seriously. We will be monitoring for positive cases within our academy, as well as in schools that our dancers attend. The IBA studio will still maintain strict cleaning protocols for the foreseeable future.

In the new year, we ask the following from our dancers, parents, and staff:

- Washington State guidelines do not require a face covering while actively playing or training for, coaching, or officiating indoor sports in a K-12, recreational, major junior hockey, part-time professional, collegiate, or professional sports setting. However, we ask that all dancers, parents, and staff continue wearing masks inside the IBA facility regardless of vaccinations, even during class.
- At times this may be difficult, but we ask that everyone try their best as we recover from a global pandemic. We want to allow our dancers an opportunity to dance and socialize with their peers, and we believe this is the best approach to avoiding a lockdown or outbreak for the time being. We hope the mask mandates will be lifted in the next coming months.
- Please adhere to CDC guidelines regarding social distancing of 3 or more feet and hand washing. We ask that parents be diligent in reminding dancers of these specific guidelines.
- No parents will be allowed in the facility at this time. Parents with dancers in the Children’s Program will be allowed inside but will be limited to ONE parent at a time.
- Parents in the Primary and Preparatory Programs may step into the front foyer at pick-up time so that children are not exiting the building into the parking lot alone. However, we do ask that parents not remain in the foyer to wait. We thank you for your understanding.
- Please cover your face when coughing and sneezing. If you are experiencing any symptoms, please do not attend class in person or enter the IBA facility.
Dancers who have tested POSITIVE for COVID:
- Regardless of vaccination status, quarantine at home for 5 days.
- If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you may return to the studio if you have a negative COVID test.
Dancers exposed to COVID by another individual:
- If you gave been boosted OR completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months.
  - Please quarantine for 5 days. If you have a negative test on the 5th day you may return to the studio.
- If you have completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and are not boosted OR completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted OR are unvaccinated:
  - Quarantine at home for 5 days. If you test possible after your 5-day quarantine, we must ask that you remain in quarantine until you received a negative COVID test.

- Dancers or family members who may have contracted COVID, or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive should immediately notify the IBA front desk as soon as possible.
- For dancers that have traveled internationally or nationally via an airline or crowded public transport, we ask that they receive a NEGATIVE COVID TEST 5 days after returning from their trip before resuming in-studio lessons.
- Our Academy will notify our dancers and parents of any positive cases within our organization. We will plan to follow the same guidelines that we request of our dancing community in order to keep everyone healthy, happy, and dancing.

As vaccinations become more widespread within our Academy and community, it is our hope that we all have these protections as our 20th Anniversary Season continues. Until then, we will be following the guidelines set forth by IBA and the CDC, as well as our local government.

current cdc guidelines

The CDC continues to recommend universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Please visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html for more information on CDC regulations and guidelines for the new year.