Performance surface

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A performance surface is a flooring suitable for dance or sport. Performance surfaces are normally laid on top of, or are part of, a sprung floor to produce a complete dance floor or sports floor.

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Dance performance surfaces made of sheet vinyl are also called dance floors and marley floors. They are called marley-type floors from a very popular reversible vinyl flooring manufactured for years until about 1978 by Marley Floors Ltd. [1]

Theatres often have a number of roll-out floors with different characteristics to satisfy the requirements of different forms of dance.

This article deals mainly with the customization of a floor for different activities by the use of different surfaces. The sprung floor article deals with the basic requirements and construction of floors to make them suitable for dance and indoor sports.

Requirements

The sprung floor article outlines some of the different standards with regards to the performance surface of a sports floor. Below are some of the key factors that can influence the performance surface required within a sports facility. [2]

A sprung floor with a hard surface provides protection from serious injuries rather than minor injuries. A fall can still cause bruises. A soft performance surface on the other hand can provide protection from minor injuries but not serious injuries. Providing sufficient protection from serious injury for adults using a thick performance surface alone would render it unsuitable for most dance or sport. This is because a performance surface is point elastic whereas area elasticity as provided by a sprung floor is mainly preferred.

Traction

In general, dance requires less traction than gym. However a floor should not of itself be very slippery or sticky. DIN 18032 defines a range of traction which should suit most activities. These type of floors should also be smooth, and a slide should not cause carpet burn. This means it is difficult to stop them from becoming slippery when wet. [3]

Most of the differences between the different disciplines can and should be catered for by the use of appropriate shoes. On the same surface, a dance shoe with a leather or suede sole will give much less traction than a gym shoe with a composite rubber sole. A sticky floor used for gym is very likely to cause twisted ankles, and a slippery floor used for dancing is liable to cause bad falls.

Everyday footwear nowadays tends to have a higher traction. For occasions like weddings, where the dancers may not have proper footwear, a slightly slippier floor could compensate somewhat, but a highly polished floor can be very dangerous with leather soles. Both gyms and dance clubs are better off providing good safe floors and encouraging the use of proper footwear.

Performance surface construction

The performance surface is normally of vinyl or hardwood, engineered wood or laminate. For dance the surface may be replaceable so for instance a theatre can adapt easily to either ballet or tap dance, these are normally made of vinyl sheeting. Hardwood is however preferred for tap dance. [4] Some sports have extra requirements like spike resistance or a standard ball bounce. [5]

Roll-up vinyl sheeting normally consists of:

When rolled up the vinyl should not be bent sharply - it should be on rolls. When there are a number of different surfaces for a hall these can be kept on special storage carts which keep them separate rather than lying on each other.

What makes a good performance surface

A wood surface is ideal for social dancing if maintained properly and is also standard for many indoor sports. Engineered wood is normally used nowadays for wood flooring as it is less liable to warp or shrink and is more economic. Tap dance is especially punishing and a tough hardwood surface like oak or maple is preferred for any regular use.

Vinyl is a better choice for other types of dance or more general community use. The requirements for different types of dance are different, but the differences can mostly be accommodated by changes in the dance surface. For instance Riverdance requires a harder surface that makes a sound, Ballet requires a softer surface because of the high jumps and possibility of falls. Ballroom dancing requires less traction than Scottish country dancing.

It used to be difficult to maintain a wood floor properly. However, if the directions of the floor manufacturer are followed properly modern treatments will maintain a good surface. [6] It is important not to just trust a commercial office cleaner to know how to do a good job, they should be instructed to follow the directions. There are no cheap and foolproof machines around for measuring traction which would enable cleaners to see their work conforms to dance or sports requirements. [7] [8] Thus there is a very strong inclination for managers or cleaners to go for other requirements e.g. a shiny surface or one that resists dirt better.

If a floor is occasionally used for public events, e.g. a gym hall used for a graduation ceremony, then a gym floor cover can be used to protect the floor and ease the normal requirements.

To maintain good traction it is important to stop the floor getting dirty or even slightly wet. A good floor cleaning regime and insisting on sports or dance shoes will help with this. The main protection though is to ensure the hall has industrial grade barrier matting at the entrance. The building should also have a floor grate at the entrance.

Related Research Articles

Shoe Durable type of footwear worn in most cultures

A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function. Though the human foot is adapted to varied terrain and climate conditions, it is still vulnerable to environmental hazards such as sharp rocks and temperature extremes, which shoes protect against. Some shoes are worn as safety equipment, such as steel-soled boots which are required on construction sites.

Floor (gymnastics)

In gymnastics, the floor refers to a specially prepared exercise surface, which is considered an apparatus. It is used by both male and female gymnasts. The event in gymnastics performed on floor is called floor exercise. The English abbreviation for the event in gymnastics scoring is FX.

Floor Walking surface of a room

A floor is the bottom surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many-layered surfaces made with modern technology. Floors may be stone, wood, bamboo, metal or any other material that can support the expected load.

Flooring is the general term for a permanent covering of a floor, or for the work of installing such a floor covering. Floor covering is a term to generically describe any finish material applied over a floor structure to provide a walking surface. Both terms are used interchangeably but floor covering refers more to loose-laid materials.

Mat Protective or cushioning floor covering

A mat is a piece of fabric material that generally is placed on a floor or other flat surface. Mats serve a range of purposes including:

Laminate flooring Type of manufactured floor covering

Laminate flooring is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood with a photographic applique layer under a clear protective layer. The inner core layer is usually composed of melamine resin and fiber board materials. There is a European Standard No. EN 13329:2000 specifying laminate floor covering requirements and testing methods.

Underlay may refer to flooring or roofing materials, bed padding, or a musical notation.

Vinyl composition tile

Vinyl composition tile (VCT) is a finished flooring material used primarily in commercial and institutional applications. Modern vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring and versions of those products sold since the early 1980s are composed of colored polyvinyl chloride (PVC) chips formed into solid sheets of varying thicknesses by heat and pressure. Floor tiles are cut into modular shapes such 12" x 12" squares or 12" x 24" rectangles. In installation the floor tiles or sheet flooring are applied to a smooth, leveled sub-floor using a specially formulated vinyl adhesive or tile mastic that remains pliable. In commercial applications some tiles are typically waxed and buffed using special materials and equipment.

Dance studio

A dance studio is a space in which dancers learn or rehearse. The term is typically used to describe a space that has either been built or equipped for the purpose.

Gym floor covers can either be a carpet-based protection system or is a large plastic tarp, similar to a painters tarp, usually divided into equal sections 6 to 10 feet wide each to cover up the entire gym floor. Gym floor covers are available in roll or tile systems. These covers are often used in large venues designed for athletic events when non-athletic events are being held there such as receptions, award ceremonies, indoor track meets, gymnastic events and graduations.

A sprung floor is a floor that absorbs shocks, giving it a softer feel. Such floors are considered the best kind for dance and indoor sports and physical education.

Wood flooring

Wood flooring is any product manufactured from timber that is designed for use as flooring, either structural or aesthetic. Wood is a common choice as a flooring material and can come in various styles, colors, cuts, and species. Bamboo flooring is often considered a form of wood flooring, although it is made from a grass (bamboo) rather than a timber.

A floating floor is a floor that does not need to be nailed or glued to the subfloor. The term floating floor refers to the installation method, but is often used synonymously with laminate flooring. It is applied now to other coverings such as floating tile systems and vinyl flooring in a domestic context.

Cleat (shoe)

Cleats or studs are protrusions on the sole of a shoe or on an external attachment to a shoe that provide additional traction on a soft or slippery surface. They can be conical or blade-like in shape and can be made of plastic, rubber or metal. The type worn depends on the environment of play: grass, ice, artificial turf, or other grounds.

Acro dance a style of dance that combines classical technique with precision acrobatic elements

Acro dance is a style of dance that combines classical dance technique with precision acrobatic elements. It is defined by its athletic character, its unique choreography, which seamlessly blends dance and acrobatics, and its use of acrobatics in a dance context. It is a popular dance style in amateur competitive dance as well as in professional dance theater and in contemporary circus productions such as those by Cirque du Soleil. This is in contrast to acrobatic, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, which are sports that employ dance elements in a gymnastics context under the auspices of a governing gymnastics organization and subject to a Code of Points. Acro dance is known by various other names including acrobatic dance and gymnastic dance, though it is most commonly referred to simply as acro by dancers and dance professionals.

Floor cleaning

Floor cleaning is a major occupation throughout the world. The main job of most cleaners is to clean floors.

Caulkin

A caulkin from the Latin calx is a blunt projection on a horseshoe or oxshoe that is often forged, welded or brazed onto the shoe. The term may also refer to traction devices screwed into the bottom of a horseshoe, also commonly called shoe studs or screw-in calks. These are usually a blunt spiked cleat, usually placed at the sides of the shoe.

Sustainable Slip Resistance

Sustainable Slip Resistance is a particular floor friction testing method and selection criteria for use in choosing and sourcing slip-resistant flooring that maintains good tribological characteristics over its life cycle to minimize slip and fall accidents. Testing floors before and after they are in place on a property can assure a building owner that safe flooring has been chosen and installed for its intended use. This floor slip resistance testing method, developed by the McDonald's Restaurant chain and now specified by many other property owners assesses the effects of mild abrasion on wet slip resistance. This test identifies flooring that has a high propensity to lose its wet slip resistance.

Floor slip resistance testing is the science of measuring the coefficient of friction of flooring surfaces, either in a laboratory or on floors in situ. Slip resistance testing is usually desired by the building's owner or manager when there has been a report of a slip and fall accident, when there has been a report of a near accident, or (preferably) before the flooring is installed on the property. Flooring is tested using a tribometer to discover if there is a high propensity for slip and fall accidents on it, either dry and/or when wet with water or lubricated with other contaminants such as kitchen grease, hydraulic oil, etc. There have been numerous floor slip resistance testing tribometers and lab devices produced around the world to measure both the static (stationary) and dynamic coefficient of friction, but presently there are only a few that have been proven to be reliable for obtaining useful safety results and that have current official test methods. If an instrument has no official published test method, then there is a problem with the instrument, often being poor precision.

Sheet vinyl flooring Type of vinyl flooring

Sheet vinyl flooring is vinyl flooring that comes in large, continuous, flexible sheets. A vinyl sheet floor is completely impermeable to water, unlike vinyl floor tile, which comes in stiff tiles, and vinyl planks, which come in interlocking strips. It is sometimes called linoleum after a similar product of different chemical composition.

References

  1. ↑ Entertainment Flooring Systems Frequently Asked Questions
  2. ↑ Dynamik Sports Academy Floor
  3. ↑ UK Slip resistance group FAQ
  4. ↑ "National Tap Ensemble: Appropriate Flooring for Tap Dancers". Archived from the original on 12 June 2010.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  5. ↑ "British Sports Council: Floors for Indoor Sports. Design Guidance Note". Archived from the original on 2012-06-20. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  6. ↑ Bona Sportive System A wood floor maintenance system supporting DIN 18032:2
  7. ↑ Assessing the slip resistance of flooring Archived 2008-07-27 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ Ten Myths Concerning Slip-Resistance Measurement

[1]

  1. ↑ "Performance Sports Flooring".
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