Lifestyle

Life At Home: How Families are Spending Their Time at Home Durning COVID-19

Published

5 years ago

May 25, 2020

The outbreak of COVID-19 has sent shockwaves through everyone in the entire world. The virus tends to favor those with weakened immune systems but also thrives in healthy individuals as well. Because of its rapid spread, government officials have implemented city lockdowns to flatten the curve of the virus. And although the lockdown has forced people all over the world to stay at home, it has also made families get creative in how they spend their time at home.

You have to admit, this extended time at home might have been a little painful at first, but now that you’ve adjusted to home life for a few months now, it’s really not that bad. In fact, according to axios.com, COVID-19 is reshaping family dynamics.

While families are cooped up together under one roof, they’re, of course, going to bicker and moan, but history also tells us that when families endure hardships like what the coronavirus is putting families through, it helps families build strong connections.

Everyone, of course, has their own opinion on how coronavirus is impacting their family life, but there’s certainly no denying the fact that it has forced families to find alternative ways to spend their time at home TOGETHER!

Because of the virus, it has forced people to do most things virtually that they would normally do in-person. Nonetheless, people are adjusting just fine and making the best of the situation… that’s really all you can do if you think about it.

So how have you and your family been spending time together to make things fun? Here are some ways other families have been making the most of their time at home and having fun.

How Families are Spending Their Time at Home During Coronavirus

Cooking: Bringing Meals From Their Favorite Restaurants to Their Own Kitchen

With COVID-19 not only impacting families but businesses too, it has made the restaurant industry take a hard hit… All businesses, including restaurants, have been shut down in efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.

Because restaurants are closed, it’s forcing families to blow the dust off of pots, pans, and skillets that they haven’t used in ages. There are some restaurants that have been doing food deliveries but most times, it’s your favorite restaurants that need a food delivery app of their own but they don’t and that’s why you have to recreate those meals on your own.

Places like hibachi grills, Mexican restaurants, and burger joints are all being recreated in the homes of families all over the world. An electric griddle is what has been saving the lives of families all over the world!

You can buy an electric griddle at most grocery stores or supermarkets for as little as $19.99. And for $19.99, you can sautee your vegetables just like you see at hibachi restaurants. You can make grilled burgers that taste just like the ones at your favorite diner; And let’s not forget about breakfast… With a griddle, you can make a big batch of pancakes for the whole family in less than 10 minutes!

Patio Installation: Keeping the Fun Going From Indoors to Outdoors

Remember how you’ve been saying that you want to have a patio deck installed but never got around to it? Well, there’s no better time than now to have this particular home renovation project done. You just need to find the right contractor to install it for you. If you need a patio contractor in Kansas City, you have a wide selection of reputable and trustworthy companies to choose from.

By having a patio installed, you have the ability to fully enjoy your outdoor space whether you want to have a barbecue or simply enjoy the warm weather and pretend you’re on a beach. The biggest perk with a patio, especially during the coronavirus outbreak, is that it gives your family a change in scenery… Even though you’re still at home, you’re at least outside, and that’s something.

Tik Tok Challenges: Seeing Who’s the Better Dancer of the Family

Tik Tok has taken the world by storm during these challenging times and it has been a reliable source of entertainment for all ages. You see everything from grandparents doing the “Savage Challenge” to frontline nurses doing the “Flip the Switch Challenge.”

Because we’re in trying times and are seeing every day how COVID-19 is taking the lives of those we love on a daily basis, it’s sometimes a refreshing mental break from the sadness of life as we know it. Whether you decide to make TIK Tok videos with your pet or with your kids, take the time out to do it…

It might be silly to you but once you get the swing of how it works, you’ll look up and realize your family is having a great time together just being silly, and for that, coronavirus has brought a silver lining for lots of families.

Lifestyle

The Future of Social Dancing: How Latin Dance is Adapting to a New Generation

Published

4 hours ago

August 21, 2025

Michelle Langton

Latin dance thrives on connection. The music, the partner, and the crowd all feed one another.

Today, that connection is shaped by a younger, digitally fluent generation, and few understand the shift better than Damian Guzman, founder of Bachata Sensual America (BSA). From prize-winning festivals to late-night socials, Guzman and BSA show how the scene is evolving without losing its roots.

Streaming steps, viral beats

A decade ago, beginners to Latin dance hunted for grainy DVD tutorials; now they unlock entire combinations on their phones. TikTok loops, YouTube shorts, and Instagram reels have compressed learning into snack-sized bursts.

Many of the artists signed on with Bachata Sensual America meet dancers where they scroll, posting slow-motion breakdowns and “follow-along” drills that rack up thousands of views. This approach addresses two key Gen Z demands: instant access and a clear path from screen to floor.

By allowing newcomers to practice at home before facing a packed room, the online channel lowers the fear barrier while seeding a desire for in-person connection.

Festivals as entry points, not finish lines

Digital discovery is only the first act. For many people, their real baptism happens at multi-day events where practice hours blur into sunrise socials.

BSA’s flagship Houston Bachata Sensual Festival returned on May 2^nd, 2025, with a follow-up week slated for Bachata Sensual Festival Chicago, September 4^th-9^th, 2025. Both weekends pair technique labs with mental-wellness talks and DJs specializing in bachata, mirroring the playlists in dancers’ earbuds.

That balance of skills and community is why independent reviewers named BSA one of the “Top Latin Dance Festivals in the United States” for 2025. Yet, for Damian, awards matter less than the message: a festival can feel world-class without pricing out college students. He keeps passes tiered, encourages volunteer shifts that offset costs, and prepares bootcamps for absolute beginners, ensuring the dance floor reflects the same diversity he sees online.

Teaching culture, not just choreography

Bachata’s recent boom owes much to its European reinvention. Damian experienced that surge firsthand while earning one of the first U.S. instructor certifications in the Bachata Sensual style. He returned determined to give American dancers the same blend of precision and musicality he had experienced abroad.

BSA classes devote equal time to connection cues, body mechanics, and the genre’s Dominican roots. That trifecta resonates with younger students who want authenticity, not just a viral dip.

“In class I tell people, ‘Technique is how you respect your partner; musicality is how you respect the song,’” Guzman said during a recent podcast. The line distills his mission: elevate standards while keeping the dance welcoming.

Building inclusive, mindful spaces

Generation Z brings new expectations around consent, identity, and mental health. BSA’s code of conduct spells out everything from appropriate touch to gender-neutral role selection. Security staff mediate conflicts quickly, and workshop leaders open sessions with grounding exercises to calm nerves. These actions might sound small, yet they remove friction that once pushed many newcomers away.

Damian argues that such policies go beyond ethics; they future-proof the scene. Normalizing role fluidity in Latin dance widens its talent pool and invites richer musical interpretations. By acknowledging anxiety and overstimulation — common concerns for digital natives — events can retain dancers who might otherwise retreat after their first crowded social.

Latin dance has never stood still, and its next evolution is already spinning under disco lights from Houston to Helsinki. With a phone in every pocket and a festival on every calendar, the gap between discovery and mastery keeps shrinking.

Damian Guzman and Bachata Sensual America illustrate what happens when tradition listens, adapts, and leads with purpose. The result is a scene ready for whatever beat the next generation drops — and a future where social dancing feels more connected, inclusive, and alive than ever.