5 years after COVID, performing arts faculty recall restrictions, accommodations, lessons from the pandemic

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 21, 2025) — The COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in how teachers delivered lessons to students, at all levels. Moving from in-person interactions in a classroom to the virtual world of teleconferencing, proved challenging for teachers and students.

Even more were the challenges placed upon teachers who direct performing arts groups, who rely on being able to give in-person, real time responses and critiques to students’ performance of a piece of music or theatrical production. As that practice evolved from the real to virtual world, directors adapted to the changing times.

UKNow discussed the unique challenges presented by the pandemic with several University of Kentucky performing arts group directors in the College of Fine Arts. They recalled how they adapted, what they learned about themselves and their students, what they have brought into the post-pandemic period, and what they felt when the pandemic ended.

Three professors responded to questions about their adaptation to the pandemic. One of the professors, Shayna Stahl, D.M.A., was not yet at UK, but was still going through the pandemic as the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s associate director of bands and director of athletics bands. She is currently an associate professor of music at UK, associate director of bands and director of athletic bands within the School of Music.  

In addition to Stahl, UKNow received responses from Jefferson Johnson, D.M.A., professor of music and director of choral activities; and Susie Thiel, chair and associate professor of dance in the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Visit this Vimeo page to see examples of how the School of Music adapted to the pandemic.

Visit this Vimeo page to see how the Department of Theatre and Dance made accommodations for physical distancing, and other consideration.

UKNow: What was your reaction to the sudden cessation of in-person learning?

Johnson: I was shocked, confused, dismayed and disoriented — just like the students. But I also thought it would be short-lived, maybe a month or so.

Thiel: As director of dance at the time, I met via Zoom with the dance faculty. We decided to use it as an opportunity to connect with students in another way. We used lots of self-reflection in class through journaling and we made partnering and group collaborative work via Zoom a priority to foster connections.

Stahl: The sudden cessation of in-person learning was a shock to us all. However, there was a sense of understanding in regard to everyone’s health and safety.

UKNow: How did your students react?

Johnson:  Some of them were initially grateful to have some time off at that busy time of year, but that soon turned to sadness and a sense of loss.

UKNow: When it became permissible to gather your students in the same space, what accommodations did you make for masking, physical distancing and other public health considerations?

Thiel: We did a variety of performances outside. The first was “Once Vacant,” which was a dance concert at the Kroger Field parking lot. The audience members stayed in their cars and parked in a circle with their headlights illuminating the dance space. The audience heard the music played through their radios. The dancers performed 6 feet away from each other and in masks. It was one of the most special performances I ever created. During the rehearsal process, we rehearsed in the parking lot. As a choreographer that uses a lot of touch and partner work when I make dances, I had to make sure everyone was 6 feet away. It was a challenge, but we were all just so excited to be creating again.

We also had a site-specific event the same year where students created work throughout the campus and The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky. It was a two-and-a-half-hour event walking from one location to the next, enjoying our beautiful campus, seeing dance and connecting with audience members as we all walked from location to location.

Stahl: At UNC Charlotte, we made many accommodations to safely transition into large ensemble rehearsals. For Symphonic Band, we split the band into smaller ensembles and performed flex ensemble music. We also had six feet of physical distance between each member and used playing masks (masks with a small opening through which a wind instrument player could safely blow into the instrument). In addition, we used bell covers and puppy pee pads to collect the water from brass instruments.

Johnson: We went through several stages. At first, everything was remote — even rehearsals, which didn’t work at all. The following fall, we were allowed to rehearse in the seats of the (Singletary Center) Recital Hall and Concert Hall, spread out and masked. Next, we were allowed to rehearse in chairs in a normal rehearsal space, but still masked and somewhat separated. The masks didn’t go away until late Spring 2022, as I recall.

UKNow: What were the challenges inherent in applying those accommodations to your rehearsals and performances?

Stahl: The most difficult challenge was the discipline to follow through with university and (North Carolina) state guidelines. Due to difference of values and opinions among the students, the instructor, at times, became the enforcer of the rules so that all students felt comfortable to perform music during this time.

Johnson: Everyone was forced to listen keenly as we were so spread out. Singing with a mask on was a real challenge. Students tried a number of different mask options and styles. Some were barely sufficient; none were great.

UKNow: Did you adapt your performances for virtual presentation? How?

Johnson: Yes. First, we tried recording every singer separately on Zoom, then editing the voices together. Some of those results sounded pretty good, but the editing process was extraordinarily time-consuming. Later we filmed each concert and presented them as movies. Sometimes we recorded audio and video separately.

Stahl: Our performances turned into recorded performances that the university supported and shared.

UKNow: What role, if any, did technology play in facilitating rehearsals and performances?

Thiel: The theatre program in our department did a lot of video.

Stahl: Technology played a huge role in facilitating performances. If we did not record our performances, no one would have been able to see or hear the hard work or progress the students were making during this time.

Johnson: We relied heavily on Zoom and more advanced recording technologies.

UKNow: Were there any innovations that came out of adapting to COVID that you have kept in place?

Johnson: We still ask singers to wear a mask if they have been sick or are feeling poorly. We often utilize the cameras that were mounted in the Recital and Concert halls. Some students still like to use note-learning tracks (an audio aid that isolates individual voice parts in large choral works) occasionally for easier auditory learning.

Stahl: The role that Zoom plays in our everyday lives has grown in our field. The accessibility and knowledge about how to meet from anywhere has truly improved communication among colleagues.

Thiel: Although we are back in person, we have brought in guest artists from costume design, to playwriting, to commercial acting via Zoom to provide different perspectives for our theatre and dance students.

The pandemic also encouraged the use of digital tools for performance preparation, including video submissions, virtual rehearsals and streaming performances. Even post-COVID, these tools are still in use to provide additional flexibility for dancers and actors who may need to rehearse remotely or submit performances for review.

UKNow: How did you educate yourselves about best practices and how to reduce the potential spread of disease?

Stahl: The College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) supported a study about best practices in performing in wind band. CBDNA crafted and distributed their findings for members to view at home on their own time.

Johnson: I read everything I could. I even read the entire CDC report on the choir rehearsal in Washington state that was being blamed as a “mass spreader” event. I learned that it wasn’t the act of singing, pers se, but the combination of close proximity, lack of ventilation and long duration of the event that caused a problem.

UKNow: Did having to make accommodations present challenges in teaching or directing a production?

Thiel: It was so difficult not to see faces with masks. So much of what we do in theatre and dance has to do with expression and projecting words.

UKNow: What restrictions did you face when rehearsing and performing as music ensembles?

Stahl: At UNC Charlotte, we shut down all in-person rehearsals. When we were permitted to return to in-person learning, we utilized mitigation strategies and followed state (North Carolina) and university guidelines.

UKNow: What will you never forget (for better or worse) about this unusual time for performing artists?

Stahl: The most memorable part of this was that (wind) musicians were considered super spreaders with their instruments. Due to this, there was an element of fear of when we could return to normal activity.

Johnson: I experienced such great joy in making music once we were allowed to return to normal. That joy continues to this day.

Thiel: I just kept thinking how cool our art form is. We did not stop. We thought, “What else? How can we adapt and bring art to an audience?” And we did.

Watch a UK Public Relations and Strategic Communications video from April 2020 featuring Theresa Bautista, UK dance instructor, and her students as they navigated virtual lessons.