It’s pretty hard to properly time up a performance on Zoom. High latency can throw off comedic timing, prevent musicians from syncing up their parts and make dancers do different steps of their choreography.
Because of this difficulty, some student performance groups are set to resume in-person rehearsals this semester.
“I'm very excited to get back on campus to have the opportunity to work with students, have them have the opportunity to do what they love to do and fulfill their passions,” Jeff Fuchs, director of University bands, said. “But at the same time, we are in the middle of a spike and it's going to require everybody to be very conscientious with how they live their lives to make sure that we can do it safely.”
Other group leaders believe that returning to campus will end in disaster.
“I think there's nothing scientifically even allowing for a decision like this to be made,” Nicholas Batman, president of a cappella group Carolina Tar Heel Voices, said. “If all of our decision makers at UNC were actually listening to science, we would be all online right now. I think it's very clear that UNC is going to embarrass themselves again, put students at risk, put the community at risk, potentially put lives at risk over the next few weeks, if not already.”
Tar Heel Voices attempted an outdoor, in-person rehearsal in the fall, during which members were masked and standing 10 feet apart. But Batman described the experience as uncomfortable.
“It was a little difficult to even sound like a musical or performing group,” Batman said.
However, the Tar Heel Voices plan to try again after they couldn’t find a way to make virtual meetings work, Batman said. The group will once again attempt outdoor rehearsals while taking the same precautions.
University Bands will also be returning to in-person rehearsals in the spring semester, limiting capacity to 36 people and spacing students eight feet apart. Bands will only play for 30 minutes at a time before clearing the room and allowing the air to recycle for an hour.
