The music never stops: Midlothian dance school continues at home

MIDLOTHIAN, Va. -- The Marianne Kelley School of Dance teaches kids about self-discipline, teamwork, and grace.

The coronavirus could have stopped that learning, but the lessons are still on.

"It's so important for kids to keep up with their dance training during this time," Marianne said, “because I believe it will create a sense of normalcy and structure for them."

Like a lot of business owners, she’s had to adapt. Luckily, many of her 500-plus students are learning through live instruction online.

“These exercises shape their minds while they're learning a dance skill," she said.

Without knowing it, they're learning more than dance routines.

“I have instructors that talk about physics when they're doing turns," she said. "The amount of force you need to do a double turn vs. a triple turn. We work hand in hand with math and science and English and poetry. It all goes together. The arts definitely have a place in education."

Parents might not get to see their kids on stage performing "The Nutcracker," but they can see their children being challenged and inspired.

"We're still seeing those things now. The parents are sending pictures of kids in their little tutus, looking forward to their FaceTime class," she said.

Building that self-discipline, teamwork and grace is Building Better Minds.