Queensland dance schools say "cruel" coronavirus restrictions are crippling small businesses and stifling their ability to prepare students for a career on the stage.
Dance studios fall into the same category as gyms and health clubs, meaning they cannot open their doors until June 12.
"We're not like a gym. We don't have dirty weights and medicine balls and all of that stuff," said Dance Central Toowoomba principal Alison Vallette.
"We've got clear, open studio space. There's nothing that we touch, there's plenty of social distancing."
Ms Vallette is fighting for her studio to be categorised as an educational facility so it can reopen when all students return to the schoolyard next week.
"We are providing an educational service. We're training young people in theatre, in dance. We're preparing them for potential jobs within the industry," she said.
"For those students who are intending on making this their profession, [the shutdown] is cruel."
Even when studios can start operating, they will be capped at 20 students.
AusDance Queensland is pushing for an exemption to allow schools to run multiple classes at once.
Katrina Korn, who runs Reflexions Dance Studio in Townsville, said health guidelines had "overlooked" dance businesses, which could use sensible measures to keep students safe.
"If they can be in schools, it's a reasonable thing to think that those same kids should be able to come to us," Ms Korn said.
"It's frustration, but also anger, that we can't just get on with what we've got to do."
Among the students desperate to return to the studio is 12-year-old Sienna Schmidt.
Five times a week, the Townsville performer transforms her living room into a makeshift rehearsal space to participate in virtual ballet, tap and contemporary dance lessons.
"Obviously you can't tap on the tiles because you would slip, so we've had to buy an entire new floor," she said.
The pandemic will prevent young dancer from taking her annual exams, and she is worried her technique is suffering away from watchful eyes of her teachers.
"Because of corona you don't stretch as much and you're not in the studio so you're not practicing to your full capability," Sienna said.
Despite offering online options, many dance schools have experienced a dramatic drop in enrolments during the health crisis.
The Townsville Academy of Performing Arts has lost 60 per cent of its 900 students.
"I think it will take us a couple of years, maybe, to get on top of everything again," said principal Katrina Sayce.
"I would rather stay closed for an extra two weeks or four weeks and know that when we're back our families are safe, than re-open too early and we all have to suffer the consequence."
In a statement, a Queensland Health spokesperson said it was important to ease restrictions in a staged way to slow the spread of COVID-19.
"We understand Queensland organisations are eager to resume operating as normal. However, the health of their staff, clients, and broader community is our priority," the spokesperson said.
