What do touring dance companies, recitals, conventions and competitions have in common? Temporary flooring. Today, the most serious of dance competitions have employed temporary flooring, such as portable staging or base floors for touring. Temporary dance flooring is a great solution for those schools with touring companies or locations that host annual dance competitions. Now, here is what you need to know about temporary dance flooring.
The different kinds of temporary floors
What makes a temporary floor transportable? Most temporary floors, particularly those made by Stagestep, have fiberglass linings inside that make them flexible. There are several temporary floors to consider: Rave, Bravo Classic, Super Bravo, Super Bravo Pro and Super Timestep.
Rave™
The first kind of temporary flooring available from Stagestep is Rave™, a one-sided Marley that is budget-friendly and lightweight. Rave has three layers, including a vinyl wear layer, fiberglass lining and foam backing. Non-slip and slightly textured, this floor is excellent for ballet, modern and jazz dance. Rave is not recommended for tap classes or performances.
Rave is a great choice for companies that also want a custom color for their floor, such as blue, green or beige, all of which are excellent for themed shows or recitals. Stock colors are also available.
Bravo Classic™, Super Bravo™ and Super Bravo Pro™
Although each Bravo™ floor has unique features, they are all designed to be transportable. Both Bravo Classic and Super Bravo are soft Marley, reversible and can be set in various configurations. They are classic dance floors that are perfect for ballet, modern, jazz and contemporary. Bravo Classic is the thinnest of the floors with a 0.65 mm thick wear layer on the top and bottom and is the least expensive. Super Bravo is slightly thicker and can be used in both studios and for touring.
Super Bravo Pro is nearly identical to Super Bravo, but it is more robust (33 percent thicker) and, while not designed for tap, can be used for tap. Every Bravo floor is reversible and designed to lie flat. Maintenance for these floors is easy as well.
Super Timestep™
The last touring floor is Super Timestep™, a multipurpose floor with a non-slip PVC surface. Super Timestep is ideal for all kinds of dance, from ballet and pointe work to hip hop. Additionally, Super Timestep contains an energy transfer layer, making it the perfect temporary floor for tap or percussive dance. As with all the touring floors, Super Timestep also contains a flexible fiberglass layer.
Tips for transporting your temporary floor
Because temporary floors are designed to be more flexible than your average vinyl floor, they are more resilient during travel. For regular Marley flooring, transportation can lead to cracking and damage caused by temperature changes. Temporary dance floors with fiberglass linings do not have this problem.
However, that doesn’t mean you can forgo caution. When transporting your touring floor, secure it by rolling the Marley around a core. Stagestep recommends a four-inch diameter core. Leaving the flooring rolled up around itself inevitably leads to compression. When you roll out a floor that has been stored improperly, it will look and feel wavy. Dance floors should lay flat. The core helps the Marley stay vertical during transport and keeps it from collapsing in on itself.
Secondly, wrap your temporary flooring in shrink wrap or a box designed for vinyl flooring. Wear and tear largely comes from packaging, transporting and unloading Marley. By taking precautions and giving your floor time to acclimate before installing it is essential. Do not tape the floor down until it has reached room temperature and relaxes.
As always, your temporary floor must be cleaned and maintained. Always clean the floor prior to packaging it for transport and once it has been brought home from the show. When the floor is not properly cleaned before it is put into the truck headed toward the venue, any dirt or debris trapped inside the rolled-up Marley could damage it.
Portable floors are used for touring and competitions. They are built to be flexible and to lie flat. If you are looking for flooring for an event or tour, consider the options from Stagestep, such as Super Bravo or Super Timestep.
For more information, visit stagestep.com.
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