Behind the Scenes with Ms. Cathy
Living Arts took a big jump, along with everyone else, into virtual learning. We’ve been curious for a while what everyone’s at-home teaching setup looks like, so we decided to give you a peek at three of our Teaching Artist spaces. This will be a 3-part series and we’ll begin with Cathy Taister!
Ms. Cathy teaches Introduction to Dance 1 & 2, Primary Ballet/Tap (and in pre-pandemic times she taught Acrobatics) for ages 3-8 years old. It’s been quite a shift for her, especially learning how to teach dance over a screen. Here is what she had to say!
What does your at-home setup look like to teach your Living Arts Classes?
I hold my zoom classes on a PC that I have hooked up to a DIY projection screen that I made out of my ballet barre and a sheet. This way, I’m able to see my students on a larger scale. I also created spike marks (tape on the floor) for where everything goes, including where I need to stand. Knowing exactly where everything goes, especially how far the speaker needs to stand from my laptop for sound quality, makes getting ready for class easier.
How has your setup evolved since you first began teaching virtually?
At first, zoom did not work well, because of a lack of bandwidth. The sound broke up constantly, the video rarely played, and then my meeting got dropped every time. I tried to zoom on the Mac, my PC, and my phone with no improvement. Finally, my husband suggested hardwiring my laptop which solved the problem.
On my first day of class, I tried having class in my living room. I put my PC on the floor and cabled it to our TV. I loved the large image of zoom, but the space held too many distractions. For the second class, my husband and I created my current setup in my dance space.
Later, I also added a little bit of decorating. The retro dance posters are a shortcut to keeping the space neat looking. The posters add some color to my space and keep the mirrors from reflecting clutter. Keeping my creative space clutter-free is really challenging! Recently I have added flowers and my mom’s pointe shoes into the space. These items have symbolic meaning for me and bring comfort in these odd times.
What are your hopes for the next 12 months with Living Arts?
Ms. Cathy’s cat, Huron, joins in!
I look forward to seeing my students grow both artistically and personally. I hope for the best for my students and their families. Sending everyone wishes for health, safety, and prosperity.
In the big picture, I hope within the next 12 months the world becomes a bit safer and we will once again be able to gather in person. I look forward to gathering with groups and the different energy this connection brings. Until then, best wishes everyone.
