ROME (AP) – Social distancing is generally not part of the lexicon of ballroom dancing. But in an industrial zone on the outskirts of Rome, couples of all ages swirl and find themselves on the dance floor, even during a pandemic, just as ballroom dancers have been doing for decades around the world.
Although much of Italy is in a coronavirus blockade, with live music and theatrical performances blocked, closed cinemas and many limited sports activities, competitive ballroom dancing is alive and well here, albeit with precautions.
The couples at the New Dancing Days are preparing for the Italian Rimini Championship in July and, as such, can continue to practice, as the government considers their activity in the national interest. It is the same permission that allowed other federally recognized competition athletes to continue training in Italy, even during the last round of virus-related blocks.
“Yes, we can do that. Here we can continue dancing,” said Raffaella Serafini, the 45-year-old owner of New Dancing Days and a 35-year-old competitive ballroom veteran.
In the huge hall with mirrors on the walls and multicolored lights, couples wear masks during warm-ups and breaks, but can remove them during performances of traditional balls or Latin dances. Most keep them anyway.
“It is beautiful for us because we are older, but we can still put ourselves in the game,” said Franco Cauli, a 70-year-old dancer who along with his 74-year-old partner is training for a competition in late April.
He said he felt safe with the health protocols brought by the school and says that the participants strictly respect them.
The Italian Sports Dance Federation has decreed that 34 athletes can train at a school the size of New Dancing Days, recognizing that continuity in practice is necessary. There are currently 17 couples, aged between nine and 76, who train up to five days a week.
From a lookout above the dance floor, Serafini keeps an eye on his students turning and calls out instructions to them. If she sees something wrong, she stops the music, goes down to the dance floor and demonstrates the correct way to take a step, a pose or a spin.
“The school is my great pride. When I see them on the dance floor, it’s like I’m there, ”she said.
—-
Follow all AP reports on the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.