“Then what are we fighting for?”

One thing is by now certain: most of the several thousands of dancing schools, de facto closed until further notice by the government-enforced lockdown due to coronavirus, won’t be able to reopen next September. Empty classes actually mean that dance students no longer have to pay school fees — whilst the rent of the place and the bills are yet running. On the other hand, dance, being an intimate art fundamentally based upon design in movement, passion and body contact, cannot be turned into a parody of skypers and whatsappers practicing jazz-funk-drum style in front of their webcams. After all, mainstream politicians can even afford themselves to simulate democracy through video conferencing and virtual reality. They are paid handsomely for having fun. A dance school — alas! — cannot afford itself to turn into a virtual, non-physical body. Let’s be honest with each other: online classes are not magical enough to charge for it. Virtual coins won’t cover rent costs — and so the question arises, then what are we fighting for?

A mural in Venice, California, United States. Photo: Étienne Laurent/EPA.