On review of the COVID Policies Survey and discussion with the Contra and ECD organizing teams, we are instituting this change at our Thursday night contra dances:

• Beginning April 13th, masks will be optional at contra on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month.
• Masks continue to be required on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Thursdays.
• Proof of vaccination, with booster, is still required at all contras on your first visit to contra.
• The policy at Sunday night English country dances is unchanged.

Background

Overall, contra dancers were in favor of keeping vaccination and booster requirements, and largely in favor of dropping masking requirements. But we have many dancers who are still very uncomfortable not masking in such a close and aerobic environment. So, the Contra Planning Committee has decided to make the 2nd and 4th Thursdays mask optional. The 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursdays will remain mask mandatory (N95, KN95 or equivalent). Callers and bands know so they may plan their gigs with us according to their comfort level.

The ECD Planning Committee will continue with their current policy based on the CDC Community Level metric. English country dancers were more in favor of masks and the ECD venue has different requirements from Harmony House.

This new plan starts on the 2nd Thursday in April, the 13th. We will include the masking status of each dance in the weekly emails, website listings, Instagram and Facebook posts. We will continue to have KN95 masks in a variety of colors available for $1.00 at the door.

We hope this allows many of our friends who cannot dance in a mask to join us again. We will monitor how this plan works and how the greater Covid situation progresses and continue to review our protocols and keep you posted as changes arise. We look forward to the day when none of this is necessary and everyone feels comfortable and safe dancing together.