Many colleges and Universities are moving to online classes due to the global pandemic. If you have never done this, teaching dance online can be daunting. Some classes will seem easier than others. Dance History, for example, is easier to realize as an online format. Improvisation, choreography, technique and many others are more worrisome.
In planning decide whether the class will be synchronous or asynchronous. Does every one need to be active at the same time, or can students work on their own and submit their work online on a timeline? There are benefits to both, depending on what you need.
Synchronous classes can offer the opportunity for interaction and real time feedback. With large classes this may not be as easy to control, but with seminar and smaller classes this can be ideal. This does require all of your students (and yourself) to have access to computers with fast enough internet signals to not have interruptions. You may need to find a gentle way of finding this out so as not all students have this access. Libraries often offer an option if they do not.
Asynchronous classes offer students more options for when to do the work (such as – last minute) and also allow you as the professor to upload information ahead of time and plan for when you are reading, viewing and grading assignments. From experience, it is often nice to have students also reading, viewing and commenting on each others assignments to encourage interaction. Online classes can be somewhat isolating for everyone, so a bit of give and take can be useful. For improvisation and choreographic classes, students can create Vimeo or YouTube accounts (for a list of online video platforms click here) to post videos of their work.
No matter how you rearrange your dance classes for an online format, your institution should have a Learning Management Platform to work on (such as Canvas, Blackboard and all the others). Information can be uploaded or referenced (for things like video links), and viewed by all. While you can have students email you directly, many of these platforms offer places for posts and reply options from other students.
As I said before, online classes can be isolating for both you and the students, so budget time and opportunities to engage with students. If this is your first time offering online classes, get feedback from the students as to what works best also. These classes are here to stay whether or not there is a pandemic, so perfecting your approach can only help in the future!
Good luck out there and stay healthy!
ken james 