Modern dance floors can be pricey, so you need to take your time and make sure you’re getting the best quality and performance possible when you buy one. Traction, cushioning, and support are all important considerations when choosing a shoe, and the cost should also be taken into consideration while purchasing. If you have the appropriate knowledge, you can choose the best dance routine and flooring for your needs.
Make sure you know the most crucial considerations for any modern dance studio flooring before you start shopping around.
What to Look For in Contemporary Dance Floors
In the world of dancing, it is well-known that no two dance floors are the same. It is impossible for a dancer’s joints and feet to move freely on hard surfaces like tile, hardwood, and even some types of carpet.
For modern dance, the dance floor material must have specific properties. All dance studios, traveling companies, and schools recognize the importance of ensuring the safety of their dancers at all times during their performances.
Performing in the incorrect shoes or with an injury on the wrong type of floor both increase the likelihood of a dancer tripping and getting hurt. It’s helpful to have a checklist of the most important things to look for on a modern dance floor so that you don’t have to guess.
- Movement and footwork are the foundation of contemporary dance, which relies heavily on slip resistance. For a successful dance party, you’ll need a floor that’s both sturdy and slipperly. Contemporary dancers are more likely to go barefoot than other dance styles, making injury prevention essential.
- Cushioned modern dance floors are more pleasant for dancers’ joints when used with a sprung subfloor.
- Marley dance floors require only daily cleaning and occasional mopping to keep clean.
- It’s common for contemporary dance floor rollers to be installed as permanent fixtures. We recommend having a dance floor that can accommodate a variety of different sorts of dancing in studios.
Marley Moves From Stage to Studio
Vinyl dance floors are commonly referred to as “marley” today, however the name was first used by The Marley Company in England, which dubbed it “Stageflor.” Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), color resins, and plasticizers were layered in two thin layers to give it flexibility. Heat and pressure were employed to fuse the two layers together. Because it was thin, non-slip, reversible, matte-finished, and cheap, it was a popular choice.
Professional dancers could easily transport it and use it on any stage during their tour thanks to its design. A dancer could use any wood stage in a few of minutes. Contemporary dance and ballet might thrive on this platform.
Only one issue remained. It was a conventional dance studio and a marley stage for the dancers to practice their routines on. As soon as marley found out he could practice and perform on the same floor, he moved in. Companies linked with professional schools also requested marley floors after they moved into their studio. This is how the marley became the standard dance floor.
A Dance Floor for Every Dancer
Trying to make traditional marley work for all kinds of dancing was not a success.
The sound was muted, and the tap dancers’ metal taps may harm the floor. Dancers in the jazz community sought a speedier floor, while others in the ballet community wanted a more absorbent floor surface.
TimestepTM is a robust, durable and thick all-purpose marley floor that was developed after the original marley. StagestepTM created TimestepTM flooring to provide tap dancers with a faster and more responsive surface, as well as higher sound quality. Tap, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, modern, character, flamenco, and ballroom dancers all use the TimestepTM.
Later, StagestepTM developed the QuietstepTM for ballet and the cushioned-back Dancestep PlusTM, both of which are foam-backed. Since it is meant to reduce sound, the DancestepTM is suitable for all dancing styles except tap because it is designed to roll over concrete.
Factors in Choosing a Dance Floor
Choosing the ideal dance floor for your studio is a process that requires careful consideration of your dance types and the area you have available.
Technical specifications
The type of dance you intend to do on your new flooring will affect the specifications of your new floor. Structural sprung flooring may be necessary for more dynamic dancing types to prevent injury. You may be looking for a floor that provides the greatest clean, sharp sound for percussion-based dance forms like tap or Irish dancing. For dance genres like ballet, you’ll need a floor that’s more acoustical.
Portability
The sort of area you have will determine whether you need a portable flooring solution for travelling or a permanent or semi-permanent solution for studios or stages.
Finish
In order to keep your studio or performance space in good working order and make it look its best for public performances, you’ll need to consider your flooring. From custom-printed floors to vinyl, high gloss floors, and traditional wood flooring, Harlequin offers a variety of finishes.
Usage and Environment
The third and most important decision is how you intend to use your space and floor. 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. Permanent or semi-permanent flooring is preferable if you have a specialized dancing studio.
Top 4 Traditional Contemporary Dance Floors
Contemporary dancers aspire to perform their routines with ease and fluidity. To get the most out of your choreography practice, you’ll want to use the best Marley floor, aka Rosco floor.
VersaStep Dance Rolls
Among dance flooring options, the VersaStep Dance Roll is the most widely used and adaptable. The VersaStepRoll is an ideal dance flooring solution for modern, ballet, tap, jazz, and more.
As long as you don’t mind having a bit of slip resistance, VersaStep Dance Rolls are the right choice for you.
VersaStep Installation Options:
- Permanent
- Semi-permanent
- Temporary
Rosco Adagio Tour Rolls
Much lighter and more portable than our Adagio floor. In addition to being perfect for touring ensembles, these rolls can also be transported to and from competitions and recitals on the fly.
Adagio Tour Rolls, despite their small weight, are strong enough to withstand hours of practice and class. They’re basic, easy to relocate, and perfect if you’re sharing a room.
We propose our conventional Adagio Rolls for permanent installations in exclusively contemporary studios.
Adagio Tour Installation Options:
- Temporary
Rosco Dance Floor Rolls
Rolls of Dance Floor Rolls are the most popular contemporary dance floor material. So you don’t have to worry about your feet getting ripped up or losing control in tight corners since they have just the correct amount of traction.
Our Dance Floor Rolls provide the right amount of elasticity to support dancers of all abilities. Fast but not too fast, with just enough glide and grip to keep you safe both in and out of your shoes.
Portable and convenient for traveling organizations like the Adagio Tour Rolls, these rolls are also available. You can, however, leave them in your studio on a semi-permanent basis.
Our Dance Floor Rolls are ideal for a variety of dance styles, including jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary ballet.
Dance Floor Installation Options:
- Semi-permanent
- Temporary
Performance Floor Rolls
You can’t really use the Performance Floor on a tour since you want it to remain in pristine condition and ready to perform.
Whether you’re dancing in a studio or on stage, these rolls are ideal for every style of dance. A medium-slow flooring option because of its high level of traction.
Performance Floor Installation Options:
- Permanent
- Semi-permanent
Quality Flooring Backed by Outstanding Service
The modern dance floor isn’t enough for you. If you’re looking for a world-class product that’s supported by American service and support, look no further!
It’s impossible to find a floor that satisfies everyone’s needs. For help selecting the right flooring for your unique application, contact Greatmats. We feel that if you’re going to spend your hard-earned money on flooring, you should get the best possible quality, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!
