Your studio is a great place to learn from your teachers and to work with other dancers, but practice, at home can give you a leg up on developing your technique and time to rehearse routines.
Without the proper dance flooring at home, you are inviting injury. A safe environment maximizes your performance potential and keeps you healthy. There are three elements to a safe floor:
- A floating wood subfloor or a duel density foam-backed flooring system is essential. You jump (small or large) hundreds of times during class. Each time you hit the floor, gravity times three hits your body and over time causes fatigue and injury. Having a shock absorbing subfloor helps reduce that harmful impact. Less pain more dance.
- It is important to have a flooring system that supports you when you balance. You can’t dance on a trampoline because it does not have any lateral (sideways) foot support. Carpet is not an ideal surface for the same reason. You need a floor that supports your foot. You will surely tumble trying an arabesque on a pillow. Staying upright should not be an iffy option.
- It is called coefficient of friction. You may call it slippery or sticky. We like to call it fast or slow. Ballet dancers like slower floors. Jazz and tappers like faster floors. The wrong floor surface can make you feel like you are dancing on an ice skating rink or stuck in mud. Both are uncomfortable and dangerous.
The point is there are a number of components to consider before choosing the proper floor. Make sure you pick the type that will keep you safe. There are many options. Ask questions!
Safety first, but there are some other considerations to ponder. What will this cost? Where will it go? How big a space do I need? Is the space going to be used for other purposes? Is it easy to install and perhaps, more importantly, can it easily be removed?
What do you need? There are small personal practice boards and mats, and that may do the trick. It is also possible to have a professional dance studio floor in your home. Portable mirrors and barres can be added to complete the project. It depends on your budget and what you want to accomplish.
Happy to answer any questions you may have.
Randy Swartz | Stagestep
(800) 523-0960 ext. 105
