The Bunion: A Day in the Life of a Socially Distanced Dancer
BY EMMALY WIEDERHOLT; ILLUSTRATION BY TRACEY TURNER
Wake up later than planned.
Stretch in the living room, maneuvering around your coffee table and dog.
Eat breakfast while you try to figure out what day of the week it is.
Change from your pajamas into your dance clothes, which are indistinguishable.
Try to decide what virtual dance class you want to take today.
Decide you are over virtual classes and you’ll just improvise in the kitchen.
Give up after 20 minutes and go see what virtual classes are starting soon.
Sign on to Zoom, leave your lighting dark so you are a bit difficult to see.
Stretch a little after class, either feeling like you’ve still got it, or you should give up dance forever.
Brush your teeth, because you forgot to earlier.
Get inspired to either sew, knit, scrapbook, or paint.
Spend time doing said activity and wonder why you didn’t do more of it before the pandemic.
Remember how busy you were before the pandemic.
Eat a light lunch.
Prepare to teach a Zoom dance class. This involves combing your hair and tidying up the part of the room you’re teaching in.
Teach Zoom class, adjusting the screen constantly to stay in your square and squinting at the other tiny squares of students.
Decide you need to update your glasses prescription after this pandemic.
Check social media, find it a bit anxiety-producing. “Like” or “heart” a bunch of stuff anyway.
Walk dog. Hope your cool mask will catch the eye of that cutie you keep seeing. (At least you think they’re cute… it’s hard to tell with the mask and all.)
Get inspired to make an elaborate dinner.
Eat dinner. Pour a glass of wine even though it’s a weeknight; you’ve gotten into the habit.
Get ready for Zoom rehearsal.
Realize Zoom rehearsal is more like Zoom happy hour. Pour a dash more wine.
Surreptitiously check your social media when things get a little boring.
Finish Zoom rehearsal. Wonder if/when theaters will open.
Check the coronavirus case numbers for the day, then wish you hadn’t.
Pet dog and binge on Hulu.
Go to bed later than planned.
