Latin dance community faces coronavirus dilemma: how to keep dancing in a pandemic

Yulia Popova and Ethan Yuan hold metal poles more than 3 feet long to separate them as they smoothly dance bachata, a Dominican-style dance, without missing a beat.

A bottle of hand sanitizer sits on the ground just behind them.

The couple, both active in the Washington, D.C., Latin dance scene, posted the video to their social media accounts to draw attention to the need for safety precautions for dancers.

“It’s really hard to take precaution when social dance is so close,” Yuan said. While he’s not showing up to dances with poles to keep distance, he is taking extra measures to boost his immune system. “I eat more vitamin C, Vitamin E, drink more water, do more exercise,” he said.

Latin dancing is a popular hobby in the DC/Maryland/Virginia region, with multiple venues competing for dancers every night of the week. A bounty of classes are offered, and festivals are held throughout the year. DJs, organizers, instructors, photographers, bouncers, and bartenders are among those in the local economy who thrive when a venue packs out on a Sunday or Monday night while the rest of the city is heading to bed.

While there hasn’t been a noticeable decrease in event attendance, that economy sits precariously as it awaits further developments in the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Emerson Morales, also known as DJ Emerzive, his entire livelihood depends on people wanting to go out and dance. “If everything has to be canceled, it can affect me and a lot of others here financially,” Morales said. To prepare for the unknown, he’s already cutting back on nonessential expenses.

A group of local organizers, DJs and instructors have started a group chat where they share any coronavirus-related news. “Some try to communicate any questions or concerns that any of us may have with all the pandemic going around,” Morales said.

Terrisa Widener is also in that group. She owns and organizes Zouk Heat, a Brazillian-style dance festival planned for this April. Although the festival’s website touts the sanitation measures they plan to take, Wednesday’s announcement by the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic could upend the event— if not by mandate, then by increased cancellations.

“The dancers that I deal with have been very, very open and understanding to transferring their pass as opposed to getting refunds,” she said. “I don’t think any one person should bear an extreme burden for something that’s really no one’s fault.”

Tiffany Wooten has been a regular in the area’s dance scene for 15 years, and there’s not much that can stop her from going out. Plus, she’s had years to hone her sanitation game.

“I already wash my hands if I use the restroom while I’m out, and before I leave. I also already carry hand sanitizer in my shoe bag and use it often,” Wooten said.

However, after reading up on the pandemic designation by the World Health Organization, Wooten says she is going to set aside her dance shoes for awhile.

“I’m extremely sad and not looking forward to the next however many days/weeks until this gets better,” she said.

For now, her stilettos and travel size hand sanitizer will be stowed away, awaiting a more predictable future.

This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 7:16 PM.