How to Choose Jazz Dance Flooring? Top Flooring Considerations for Jazz/Swing Dance

Jazz is one of the most prevalent dance styles given at a studio. ‘ But which floor is best suited to jazz? The floor may not appear like a vital part of a jazz dancer’s routine, but it is critical to the dancer’s success.

You may warm up your jazz hands by learning about the many concerns for dancing flooring and looking at several flooring options. Check out your options for a jazz dance floor and see if you can find the perfect fit for your dancing shoes.

How to Choose Jazz Dance Flooring

In order to find the best jazz dance floor, you must first learn about the characteristics of a jazz dance floor. There are a few things to bear in mind when booking a dance floor for any form of dance.

• Jazz is one of the few dance disciplines where dancers frequently switch between wearing jazz shoes and dancing barefoot. As a result, the floor needs to be slip-resistant and grip-friendly in order to handle the high-energy dancing moves common in jazz.
• It’s designed to absorb shock and ease bounce: sprung flooring Having a sprung floor in a jazz studio will ensure that the dancers are protected from injury because of the high-intensity nature of the dance.
• It’s important to have a floor that can withstand repeated use as a dance floor because not all flooring are made for dancing. That’s why there’s a dance floor in the room. If you want your dance floor to last, you’ll need to pick one that can withstand all of your rehearsals and performances.
• The process of installing a dance floor varies depending on whether you want a temporary or a permanent dance floor. Before you go shopping, make sure you know what sort of installation you want and how comfortable you are with it.
• Jazz routines are designed to be performed as if they are larger than life. For solo or group performances, a dance floor that can accommodate all dancers and routines is essential.

Top Flooring Considerations for Jazz/Swing Dance

The Types of Shoes You Wear

With so many styles of swing dancing footwear, it’s important to think about what you’ll be wearing before making a decision on the best dance floor. Leather soles allow women to spin and whirl, but rubber soles make it difficult for them to perform dancing routines. Women benefit most from dancing in flat-soled shoes, which provide a stable foundation.

For both sexes, the fundamental characteristics are the same. When it comes to dancing, leather soles are frequently the greatest option. You may be able to have a dance sole installed in a pair of men’s formal shoes by a professional shoe store in some situations.

You can make an informed decision about your jazz dance floor if you know what kind of shoes you and your dancers will be wearing.

Will You Need Sub-flooring?

Sub-flooring is another important consideration for swing dance flooring. In many cases, you will be performing over gymnasium floors or on stages that have hardwood panels. It’s possible that you’ll be performing on tile or concrete. With the right sub-flooring, you can keep your flooring in top condition while still performing your routine without having to worry about damaging it.

What Size of Dance Floor Will You Need?

Swing dance flooring also needs to have a subfloor in order to function properly. In many circumstances, you will be playing over gymnasium floors or on stages that have hardwood panels. In other cases, you may even be working on tile or concrete. It is possible to protect the underneath of the floor while still allowing dancers to do their routines by using sub-floorings.

Swing dance floor sub-flooring is an additional consideration. Most of the time, you’ll have to perform on a gym floor or a stage with hardwood panels. A tiled or concrete floor is not out of the question. With the right sub-flooring, you can keep your flooring in top condition while still performing your routine with ease.

Durability

Swing dancing is a high-energy kind of dance. Quite frankly, the flooring will take a pounding during jazz dance routines, so you need a surface that can withstand the abuse. One of the most important qualities for a jazz dance floor is durability.

Installation Process

Jazz and swing dancing require a lot of stamina and a good deal of swagger. Because jazz dance routines put a lot of stress on the floor, you’ll want a material that can handle that stress. The durability of a jazz dance floor is one of its most crucial attributes.

It’s critical for traveling swing bands to have a dance floor they can set up without the use of special connections or adhesives. As a bonus, you should be able to simply roll up or disassemble the mat and transport it to the next concert!

The Right Amount of Slip-Resistance

With that said, you don’t want your dancers to slip and slide uncontrollably on a mat that is too slippery. The slip-resistance and give of the swing dance floor you buy should be well-balanced. If you have too much grip, the dance steps will be disrupted, but you can’t perform like an ice rink either.

Again, vinyl is a strong choice because foam and PVC tiles may not give enough slip-resistance, while rubber will provide an excessive amount of traction.

Do You Need a Specific Color of Pattern?

Style is a big part of swing and jazz! What kind of atmosphere do you want to create in your dance hall? There are several options for jazz dance floors, and you may choose one that is specific in color or design that adds a personal touch to the venue.

You can choose from a wide variety of dance floor coverings, such as faux wood veneers, white or black tiles, or even a variety of bright colors. There is a dance floor tile to fit your needs, no matter what your personal style is.

Factors in Choosing a Dance Floor

Before you begin your search for the appropriate dance floor, there are a few things to keep in mind, all of which are specific to your dance types and studio space.

Technical specifications

Flooring needs will be determined by the type of dance you plan to perform on it. Structural sprung flooring may be necessary for more dynamic dancing types to prevent injury. Tap and Irish dancing, in particular, require a floor that produces a clear, sharp sound. For dance genres like ballet, you’ll need a floor that’s more acoustical.

Portability

You may need a mobile flooring solution for traveling, or a permanent or semi-permanent flooring solution for studios or stages, depending on your location.

Finish

Your studio or performance area will need to look professional and properly maintained if you want it to have the right visual impact for public performances. Custom-printed floors, vinyl, high-shine floors, and traditional wood-style flooring may all be found at Harlequin.

Usage and Environment

The final and most important consideration is how your room and floor will be used. To avoid damage to your flooring during other activities, consider using portable flooring in places where it will be put to many uses, such as school halls or multipurpose rooms. A permanent or semi-permanent floor solution would be better for a dedicated dancing studio.

How to Install Marley Tap Dance Flooring Rolls

It’s not difficult to set up dance rolls. There are a few minor differences between installing a temporary dancing roll and a permanent one. Take a look at it.

Temporary Installation

1. The glossy side should be kept down, the matte side up, after unrolling the floor. Allow 1-2 days for it to relax and lay flat.
2. Use a straight edge and a utility knife to cut the rolls. To allow for expansion and contraction due to temperature fluctuations, provide a 1/4-inch gap around the rolls.
3. Outline the perimeters and push the edges firmly to the floor, making sure there are no ripples, using double-sided carpet tape on the underside of each roll.
4. Mat tape can be used to create a ramp or tapering installation if you’re placing over foam flooring tiles and have surplus around the borders. Tape the perimeter of the roll straight to the subfloor tiles using mat tape when you’re placing over foam tiles with no excess around the edges.
5. The seams of many rolls can be joined together with mat tape placed on top of the flooring.

Footwork wears out or tears the tape over time, therefore it’s important to replace it. Every few months, it’s a good idea to replace the top tape. For a number of years, the double-sided tape below can be used.

Permanent Installation

In order to ensure that the dance floor stays in place, there are a few more measures to follow. Glue is necessary for this step to ensure a strong bond with the subfloor.

1. Allow the rolls to rest for a couple of days until they are totally flat before storing them. As a result, the shiny side should be facing down, while the matte side should be facing up.
2. Rolls should fit snugly, but a 1/4-inch gap should be left to allow for expansion and contraction.
3. At one end of the room, roll up the floor. In 10′ increments or shorter, apply a light layer of adhesive. Then, one by one, unroll the flooring into the adhesive one at a time.
4. For every 10 feet of the roll, repeat this procedure.
5. Use a 100-pound roller on the floor to remove any air bubbles and to ensure proper adhesion. If you can’t locate a roller, you can try walking on the floor in tiny, choppy steps.

Conclusion

There are a wide variety of jazz dance floors for sale, from rolls to tiles to kits. Are you ready to select the perfect floor now that you know what you want?