COVID-19 Safety Protocols
Ailey Forward
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Inc. (Ailey) has developed a comprehensive plan, Ailey Forward, for reopening the Joan Weill Center for Dance (The Center) at 405 West 55th Street, New York, New York for the organization’s fiscal year 2021.
Careful planning to welcome dancers, students, teachers, musicians, and essential staff addresses public health concerns and outlines how the highest percent of Ailey’s operations can be returned to The Center while reducing the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Ailey is committed to continually update and revise Ailey Forward in response to new guidance and regulation from state and federal sources as those should become available.
In-Studio Classes & Workshops
All Extension students, instructors, and staff are required to abide by the health guidelines set forth by Ailey. This includes proof of vaccination, daily health screening, mask requirements, social distancing guidelines, tracing protocols, and more.
Read on for more detailed in-studio policies, health screening information, and other FAQs about our COVID-19 procedures.
In-Studio FAQS
Yes, all people entering the Joan Weill Center for Dance must be fully vaccinated.
Students can upload their vaccination information to their Mindbody account. Simply log into Mindbody on a desktop here and follow this link here. From there, you can upload an image (.jpg or .png) of your vaccination card.
If you are unvaccinated looking to receive a vaccine, consult with your medical provider, NY Forward, and NYC Health Department.
Students must receive their second dose at least two weeks before their first class.
Yes, all students must complete our health screening every time before entering the studio.
To complete our health screening, you must download the HealthCheck application to your phone. The app has a survey that must be completed before your entry. Please follow the user instructions guide that you can view here for more information.
On step 4 of the HealthCheck sign-up, you will need to enter a "Facility Code." The Ailey Extension student facility code is e}6=$V?+
View the HealthCheck App User Instructors for Extension students at www.alvinailey.org/extension/healthcheck.
Yes. For the safety of everyone in the building, all dancers, students, faculty, musicians and staff are always required to wear a mask in class and in public spaces. All staff in The Joan Weill Center for Dance are always also required to wear a mask including Faculty, Administrative Staff, and Staff who are required to circulate in public areas of the building.
Ailey asks that students bring their own mask but Ailey will have enough disposable masks, gloves, face shields upon special request, hand sanitizers, and wipes on hand for everyone in the building.
Ailey recommends that everyone returning to the building consult NY Forward and CDC to learn about cloth masks in order to make personal decisions. Ailey does not permit Gaitors, fleece, or bandanas as face coverings. Fabric masks should be washed at home frequently.
Yes. You will be required to take your no-contact temperature prior to proceeding into the building as a part of the HealthCheck app. If you register a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, you will not be permitted to proceed into the building.
Late arrivals are not permitted and class will not be refunded.
Ailey Experience NYC students are granted late arrivals but are asked to please contact us in the case of a late arrival at Ailey.
Because of social distancing measures, in-person classes will be limited to 18 vaccinated students per class.
Yes. Studios are designed for 6-foot social distancing measures for students, instructors, and musicians.
Parents are not permitted in the Ailey building. For all Kids & Teens classes and Ailey Experience workshops, an Ailey Extension staff member will check your kid in outside of the Ailey building and guide them inside to their class.
Dressing rooms and lockers rooms are currently closed. Students must arrive to the building with their dance clothes either on or underneath their street clothes. Students are strictly forbidden to change clothes in the bathrooms.
Due to social distancing requirements and safety precautions, all common areas are unavailable and students are asked to not loiter outside of the studios or in the lobby.
When Ailey is informed that an individual who has been at The Center has tested positive for COVID-19, Ailey will identify anyone who might have been exposed to the infected individual while at The Center for long enough to have put them at risk of infection. In coordination with the NYC and NYS contact tracing programs, Ailey will implement a contact tracing tool via its app deployment and/or through its above-mentioned partnerships to assist personnel in the notification of members of the Ailey community who have been exposed to an individual who has tested positive while at The Center.
Should an individual feel ill while at The Center, that individual will be isolated until they can be safely exited The Center with compliant instructions for testing; should that individual test positive for COVID-19, the above contact tracing protocol will be deployed.
All those who test positive will be required to quarantine for 10 days. Ailey will be in communication with all those impacted with further instructions.
Ailey is following all Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Dance USA guidelines on cleaning and air flow. Details can be found in Ailey Forward. In brief, Ailey will clean all studios with electrostatic sprayers, use CDC approved cleaning supplies, and maximize airflow and air filters (Merv 13 and higher) in the HVAC system. Bathrooms are fully hands-free including toilet seat activated flushing devices.
