Our CEO & Principal, Sharon Watson MBE reflects on the impact of the pandemic on our personal and professional lives in this special blog entry:

“Fatigue affects our performance. When we’re pushed to our limits, it doesn’t take long for the cumulative effects of stress on our minds and our bodies to show. The pandemic has pushed us all in some way or another. The uncertainty, the frustration, the grief; all have taken their sustained toll on our emotional and physical health these past twelve months.

“In my role as CEO & Principal of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance I applaud my staff and the students for their endurance.  They’ve adapted tremendously well to the various challenges and restrictions, and lockdowns spent working online, remotely, in a vocation that demands presence, physical connection and space.

“A significant part of lockdown was spent during the darker winter months, compounding an already difficult time for many. For me, being fortunate enough to have a routine was starting to present its own challenges; the days rolling into one, working at an unrealistic pace and realising that the results of all the energy, conversations, planning, and hours spent on zoom were held in suspension!

“Fatigue can distort the way you think.  It can become difficult to see a way forward with clarity. With no blueprint to follow and little guidance, at times it’s been hard to know where to look for advice, and how to ask for it.

“What I have come to realise is the importance of taking time and finding space. Things which consume your time and take up your space are not always welcome. At a time when the world appears fragile and in need of care, I consider myself lucky to have those near to me who recognise the impact fatigue can have on an individual. I have experienced lessons, both professional and personal, for which I am grateful. Despite the need to manage an unwelcome guest, I remain positive in my outlook. With each day that comes, we are closer to normality.”