by Stephanie Wolf, 89.3 WFPL

Listen to the audio version and read the full article at here via wfpl.org.

Louisville Ballet dancer Leigh Anne Albrechta never thought her dance career would involve shopping for the perfect face mask. But masks are now just as much a part of her daily routine as her pointe shoes.

“I’m now quite comfortable in a mask,” she said.

Comfortable in a mask, but still a little on edge about returning to work.

Earlier this year, the Louisville Ballet announced its 2020-2021 season would be entirely virtual, featuring streamed cinematic dance works that the dancers will start rehearsing for, in person, on Monday.

Albrechta said getting the news that they had a return-to-work date came with mixed emotions.

“It’s a really split thing between being super excited to have a job and get back to feeling like you’re doing something that you’ve kind of put on this earth to do, but at the same time, there’s a lot of fear and anxiety behind it,” Albrechta said.

“It’s a really split thing between being super excited to have a job and get back to feeling like you’re doing something that you’ve kind of put on this earth to do, but at the same time, there’s a lot of fear and anxiety behind it,” Albrechta said.

At the top of her list of anxiety-inducing thoughts, there’s the fear of getting COVID-19, and its short- and long-term health impacts. But there’s also the fear of how the measures to reduce the risk of infection will drastically alter the day-to-day, “stripping away” some logistical and communal aspects of the job that Albrechta has come to rely on, such as a place to sit and prop up her aching feet in between rehearsals or the little social interactions with fellow dancers.

“It’s a double-edged sword where I know it’s the most cautious, correct thing you can do,” she said while trying to imagine how it will be to step outdoors in her pointe shoes during breaks with the possibility of bad weather. “It just there’s that feeling of, I know I love to dance, but am I going to love my workday anymore?”

Read the complete story and listen to the audio here via wfpl.org.