For the past few weeks Neil Cutler has been setting up his lights and sound system and hosting Friday night dance parties at home with no one else around. But he hasnB次元官网网址檛 been dancing alone.

Since 2006 Cutler has been facilitating Nanaimo Community Dances, turning the Bowen Park auditorium into a welcoming, all-ages dance club on Halloween and Valentines Day.

B次元官网网址淭he philosophy is that itB次元官网网址檚 inclusive for everyone so we will have a lot of people with disabilities [and] families with young children,B次元官网网址� he said.

On March 20, at the suggestion of a co-worker, Cutler set up his gear and hosted a live-streamed dance party from the OmTown Yoga Studio in downtown Nanaimo for the benefit of everyone staying at home due to COVID-19 precautions. He said it was a huge success.

B次元官网网址淚t made me realize how much of the philosophy of inclusiveness that had, but in a different aspect now for people who are stuck at home who canB次元官网网址檛 see anyone,B次元官网网址� he said.

Cutler has since relocated to his backyard and this past Friday his virtual dance party was held via the teleconference platform Zoom for the first time, although he said most partiers were too shy to show off their own dance moves. He said his neighbours, on the other hand, have been B次元官网网址渏iving away.B次元官网网址�

Cutler said itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渄efinitely strangeB次元官网网址� to be MCing through the microphone with no one present in-person, but he said thereB次元官网网址檚 been a lot of interaction with his viewers nonetheless and the music is all-request.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 so much fun the random songs that go out, like MC HammerB次元官网网址檚 You CanB次元官网网址檛 Touch This and the jokes the come across because of course we canB次元官网网址檛 touch anything right now,B次元官网网址� he said.

Although people are staying apart and alert, Cutler said his dance parties create an environment where people can temporarily put their worries B次元官网网址渙n the back burnerB次元官网网址� and enjoy a feeling of connectedness. He said people have been tuning in from Kelowna and as far as Alberta.

B次元官网网址淭he reason people are coming is because they want to connect with each other and we comment about [how] weB次元官网网址檙e dancing separately, yet weB次元官网网址檙e all dancing together,B次元官网网址� Cutler said.

WHATB次元官网网址橲 ON B次元官网网址� Nanaimo Community Dances free virtual dance parties take place every Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. at .

arts@nanaimobulletin.com
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