THREE CARDINAL SINS OF A DANCE PARTY! PART II - DANCEFLOOR
It’s too sticky, too bouncy, too fast, too slow, falling to one side or the other, it needs baby powder, it needs cola, it’s hard on the knees (salsa crowd is really getting old ;)) - as event organizers we’ve heard it all and, by extension, taken the blows.
There are few obsessions, few love-and-hate relationships known to humanity like the one between a dancer and the dancefloor. It’s worse than the one between a dieting person and a juicy hamburger or a piece of chocolate cake. It’s probably even worse than a relationship between a woman and her 5 inch Jimmy Choo shoes.
I know that the first thing I do when entering a new dance venue is to tap and slide my shoe on the dancefloor and that alone can make or break my entire evening. And I know for a fact that I’m not the only one. Yes, even if you won’t admit it, we all do it, and for a good reason.
The dancefloor, even in the best of times, is somewhat of an usual suspect and a fall guy for much of our own deficiencies and insecurities. Whether we’re out of shape, in a bad mood or just had a few too many Pina Coladas, poor old piece of wood is the first one to blame.
It’s too sticky, too bouncy, too fast, too slow, falling to one side or the other, it needs baby powder, it needs cola, it’s hard on the knees (salsa crowd is really getting old ;)) - as event organizers we’ve heard it all and, by extension, taken the blows.
Yeah, it’s all fine and funny until you see people leaving early in droves, frustrated and angry about the failed dances, wanting their money back. Or someone falling down and spraining an ankle. Suddenly not so funny anymore…
We all know the perfect setting: good old hardwood parquet, not too shiny, not too rough, good air conditioning, no humidity condensing on the floor making it sticky and of course just enough room for our most sophisticated and elaborate patterns. Not poking anyone in the eye with lady styling hand shines is a bonus.
THE first venue that comes to my mind is the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, UK. Been there, danced there, pure perfection....
Well, that’s getting very hard to find. For larger events, conference centers or hotels find it much more convenient, durable and in the end cheaper to have a carpet, tiles, linoleum or just plain concrete flooring. Sure, some basic dancing can be done on most of these surfaces, but once you want to attract a knowledgeable dance crowd, they will expose you in no time. Just not good enough.
And we slowly drift off to improvisation and ‘do it yourself’ territory again ;-)
Let’s face it, for most social dances wood or good wood imitations are the material of choice. And not just for the old knees. Beyond functionality and dancing requirements, wood flooring is one of the most eye-catching elements of event decor, setting the scene for a classy event.
Options anyone? During the years organizing the Rovinj Salsa Festival we have tried a few.
Portable modular dance tiles or panels
Very popular for smaller events, easy to set and remove, durable, but very expensive to buy and difficult to rent in large quantities. Like all temporary dance floors needs perfectly flat base and side anchoring, otherwise it will break due to vibration, especially for large rooms.
Laminate flooring
More of an effort to install, you will probably need expert help, but more affordable. Don’t get too cheap here, every millimeter of thickness counts towards better quality and durability. Unlike parquet and professional dance decks it’s very sensitive to humidity when it could expand and break. Versatile, good for covering large, uneven or concrete surfaces.
Other options
Carpet tiles, vinyl, linoleum may all be used, but have significant disadvantages compared to modular decks and laminate flooring.
This just goes to show how important and difficult it is to find a venue with proper dance flooring. There are good temporary replacement options, but they are not perfect, nor cheap. Just another carefree day in the office for event organizers :-))
Take care and feel free to comment,
Danijel