The transition
Back in January 2020 I remember seeing the news about COVID-19 in China, chatting about it nonchalantly in my venues filled with 20 mums and babies ready to do Moo Music in such close proximity of each other without a care in the world other than sing, dance, have fun with other family’s doing the same. Little did we know what was coming. On Monday the 16th of March, I ran my last in person classes with the actual fear of dread of what was to come. None of us knew or were really prepared for it but as the saying goes, the show must go on! An in reality the bills still need to be paid! I spent two day worrying not only for the future of my business, but also what if I or the people I love get Corona virus? Everything seemed so scary and I just didn’t feel ready for it, but I had to be productive and had to move quick. On the 18th of March I got the keys for the studio and on 19th I had ran my first virtual session. Happy Days.. Smooth transition, totally caught up in the excitement, I was still able to reach my families and generate an income.
So almost four months on, roughly counting I have ran 80+ different themed live Moo Music sessions from my studio airing to my VIP facebook community. For all the singing and dancing fun, I need to talk about the reality of this, I am very blessed to have such a dedicated following and so many members of my VIP community have been with my for the duration and I’m deeply humbled by their love and dedication. An honestly it has been a total blessing for me to have routine in my life and feel like I have a purpose and continue my work to entertain and support families, but the vibe is so very different.
In a class environment, I honestly feed off your energy and enthusiasm and it is just one big awesome party, I love it so much and getting to know and see my Mums and little ones grow and develop in confidence is just so special and rewarding. What being online has taught me, is that I miss our interaction, all I see now is a reflection of me, singing, dancing and being silly and comments from your interaction, which don’t get me wrong, I love it, however it isn’t sharing a space with you all. I’m not sure if it is the result lock down, personal issues in my life or seeing myself online everyday or a amalgamation of everything but I developed some kind of anxiety problem, whilst doing my thing in front of the camera, big smiles, lots of expression and love an then I get a sensation that takes over me, it hits me in different ways, depending on the day. Some days its just a little voice in my head that eats away mid song other days it is a physical feeling that I can’t move a part of my body or I feel like i’m not breathing. I’m working through coping mechanisms but it has become a real thing. I remember a couple of weeks ago I left my drinks bottle on the other side of the room, the whole session I was just wanting my drink and getting more and more anxious that I couldn’t get it. Another time, I couldn’t work the screen and see the chat function and it set me off with tingles. Only one time and that was the first time it happened, I had to cut the live because I thought I was having a stroke or had corona virus and did not know what was happening to me, worried and alone in my studio, yet behind a camera with 50+ people watching. The world of online classes and performing to myself, I have never felt so open and exposed to a world that can see me but I can’t see them. I have a new found respect for people in television!
I do however feel so secure in the knowledge that within my VIP group and the Moo community as a whole, there are some beautiful diamonds that I know have got my back an they keep me going. The positive’s of online classes are that I know from messages, videos, Instagram and Facebook posts, the children are absolutely benefiting and it has become such a norm for them to do Moo everyday in the comfort of there own front room with their own toys and comforts around them. Mum’s have been able to sit and do Moo with the kiddies in their pj’s, an I love that so much. The virtual world has been a steep learning curve and it works for so many of my families, so many parents want to keep it going even after when we get back to actual classes. Life has become a different playing field right now for everyone, the pace of life is much slower even if things are starting to get up and running again. This time we have had has given us time to reflect on our values, our family and friends and our health and well being.
An slowly we can see a light at the end of the tunnel, this new extra cautious would in emerging with masks and hand sanitiser at the ready, but the future of baby classes is still unknown. I plan to run online for a little longer to support my families that need it, but there will come a time, that I will need to stop the five live performances a week for my own well being, but will keep an online presence for the families that need it.
With regards classes starting back in the new world we live in, this is still unknown. What I do know is that classes will be very different from what my Moo Music families have known. It is unlikely that I will be able to run in any of the previous venues that I ran classes in, but I am very thankful that I do have The Mama Wellness studio. Sadly I wont be able to run pay as you go classes anymore as this is not allowed under the new guidelines. So classes will move onto a termly booking system sometime hopefully in Autumn, but this is not yet confirmed. Covid-19 guidelines will be put in place to track families, temperatures will be taken and our beloved set up may feel a little different from what we all know and love. It will be a learning curve and I will do the best I can to make classes a safe environment at the Mama Wellness studio for both you and your little ones. But for now please bare with me as I we learn to juggle this new found land between us.
Thank you for patience, your support and your understanding and I will keep you all up to date as things progress.
Much Love Claire xx
