Should I be Dancing in a Mask?

The short answer is YES- dancers should be wearing masks, but we all know it won’t be easy. 

The CDC recommends that everyone wears a mask to decrease the spread of COVID-19. COVID-19 is spread through droplets in the air (think sneezing, coughing, heavy or forceful breathing, yelling, etc.).

Dancing is often a strenuous exercise causing many dancers to breath heavily. This heavy breathing combined with the close proximity of dancers in choreography and the changes in direction and levels increases your chances for spreading droplets. 

It is true, wearing a mask while you participate in strenuous exercise, like dance, can make it harder to breath. Good news! There is no evidence to support the rumor that wearing a mask decreases your oxygen intake. 

Instead, think of the challenge of breathing through a mask similar to taking your first few breaths on a hot humid day. At first it is challenging to get a good breath, but over a few minutes, you are able to breath normally again. It is the same when you are dancing in a mask. It will take a few tries before it becomes “normal”. This is a concept called accommodation. Over a matter of classes, your body will get used to dancing in a mask and you will have no issues. 

There are a few things to consider when dancing in a mask: 

1)     If you feel lightheaded, dizzy, numbness or tingling, shortness of breathe, or imbalanced— stop activity and rest. 

2)     Do not remove your mask in class- instead outside away from people to remove your mask

3)     Dancers should wear multiple masks a day. 

a.     General rule of thumb, masks should only be worn once. 

b.     Reusable masks should be washed appropriately between wears

c.      Once the mask is sweaty and wet it becomes even more challenging to breath and less effective at reducing the droplet transmission. 

4)     Consider purchasing a commercial reusable mask designed for dance/exercise. They may be able to combat the sweat saturation better than traditional cloth. 

5)     Gloves and eye coverings are not recommended protection methods while exercising at this time  

For more information- check out the Dance USA COVID-19 FAQ Sheet.