Digital salsa lesson for blind(sports)date Gent Sport
The sports day was organized digitally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Michèle was at that time in Courchevel, where she was assigned a nice room by the municipality of Courchevel where the class could take place.
A digital class differs from a regular class in terms of total preparation.
Preparation for digital lessons:
1. Test the cameras in advance.
2. Test the sound in advance.
3. Use a headset to ensure overall good sound quality.
4. The lesson can be given sitting in front of the screen, but the participants must ensure there is enough space for the instructor to see their steps. The camera should capture the full body.
5. Dance tools: guide cane or wall as handy reference points.
The lesson itself.
Didactically, there is no difference between an on-site initiation and a digital initiation.
Four participants took part, including my regular dancers Manuel Delaere and Erik Dieltjens.
The lesson was a classic salsa initiation with the 3 basic steps: basic step, rumba step, pas atras. The guide cane served as a horizontal line for orientation.
Conclusion. Digital dance lessons for the visually impaired and blind are the future. This is one of our key visions.
Image Description
photo 1: Michèle sits behind her screen with a headset in her hand in a piano room in Courchevel. A piano is behind her desk.
video 1: Preparation for the digital class. Michèle sits behind the screen and checks if the different cameras are working and properly installed.
