Dancing Through a Pandemic

YOUTH VOICES

Joshua Tyebkhan as a peasant in Pasadena Civic Ballet’s performance of Giselle Under the Stars, June 2021 (Photo – Edie Tyebkhan)

In many ways, the pandemic has created obstacles in everyone’s lives. I went online for school at the end of eighth grade and started high school online.

By Joshua Tyebkhan

This was rough for me socially because I didn’t know anyone at my new school. Dance was the only activity that I had in person. Dance has been my life since I was four years old. The studio, Pasadena Civic Ballet (PCB), has become another home to me, as I dance there fifteen hours a week. PCB is a great community where I have created many close friends.

When COVID-19 first hit our area in 2020, we were preparing for our production of Aladdin, which was then quickly canceled, contributing to my dismay surrounding the pandemic’s beginning. Classes were transferred to zoom, and dancers had to find creative ways to take classes in their homes. Luckily, this didn’t last for long as PCB created an outdoor studio called the gazebo in their parking lot which enabled us to take in-person classes again and continue to perform outdoors during the pandemic, providing real interactions.

Amidst many incredible performance opportunities, we were able to return safely indoors for classes. For me, dance has given me a source of excitement and happiness throughout the pandemic and a way to stay active. I was not only able to continue to grow my dance technique but also to maintain in-person social connections with friends, something that I felt lacking from online school. The past almost two years has shown the qualities of resilience and perseverance that it takes to be a dancer.  Pasadena Civic Ballet has been wonderful, allowing us to have so many opportunities during these difficult times. We anticipate and hope that we will make a safe return to an indoor theater soon.

Joshua Tyebkhan is in 10^th grade at Flintridge Preparatory School and is a dancer in Pasadena Civic Ballet’s Senior Company.

Joshua Tyebkhan as the Scarecrow in Pasadena Civic Ballet’s performance of the Wizard of Oz, March 18, 2021, in the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse parking lot. A drive-in theater style with audience members watching from their cars (Photo – Edie Tyebkhan)

Joshua Tyebkhan and Gunnar Hammarstrom tapping to Moses Supposes from Singin’ in the Rain, June 2021 (Photo – Edie Tyebkhan)

Joshua Tyebkhan and Taylor Hugens perform in Nutcracker al Fresco, December 2021 (Photo – Edie Tyebkhan)