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Advertorial FeatureTalking about floors and stagesSometimes the last thing considered when equipping a schoolhall, drama studio or performing arts centre, is the floor. It isjust something actors and dancers walk on, isn’t it?Harlequin....not just dance floors...we also manufacture a range of ballet barres and brackets.Well, actually it can be moreimportant than that and althoughthe opportunity to be involvedwith the design and build of a newschool performing arts facility mayonly happen rarely, it is as well tobe aware of some of the issues toconsider. There are safety issues,performance requirements andvisual considerations.Harlequin Floors has specialisedin stage construction and floorsfor performance for nearly fortyyears, and has built up a wealth ofexperience and gained a worldwidereputation. Whether it is designingand installing a stage in a newtheatre or refurbishing old stages,Harlequin has the expertise todeliver an effective solution.Stages for theatres, opera houses,performing arts centres, cruiseships and education establishmentsare all covered. Stage floors havebeen designed to accommodatestage engineering requirementsfrom revolves to traps, tocomply with acoustic criteria,be aesthetically sympathetic toarchitectural needs and throughthe use of printed vinyl, integralto the set design. Harlequin hasused this experience in providingcustom-built stage floors toproduce a guide which outlinesthe scope of the subject. Some ofthe issues involved are referencedby using recent installations toillustrate the solutions. A free copyof ‘Stage floor construction andtechnical solutions’ is availableon request from Harlequin Floors(01892 514888) or a PDF versioncan be downloaded from thewebsite. (http://uk.harlequinfloors.com/en/faqs-downloads/downloads/)There are recent developments invinyl floors which can dramaticallycontribute to the look of thestage set. Viewers of some ofthe popular TV shows may havenoticed the super shiny, glossylook of the sets owes much tothe floor. An extremely popularfloor is Harlequin Hi-Shine whichgives a mirror-like finish that isgreat for adding an extra gloss toChristmas shows or pantomimes.Another recent development isthe adoption of large scale inkjet printing techniques allowingintricate designs, logos or colourmatches, to transform an otherwiseplain floor.Where any form of dance ispracticed, whether in rehearsalstudios or performed on stage,then some important safetyconsiderations come into play.There are several different stylesof dance and footwear frombarefoot or ballet shoes throughto steel tipped shoes used in Irishor flamenco dance. The latteris clearly going to have a harsheffect on the floor. Accordinglyfloor surfaces have beendeveloped to suit different danceforms. Riverdance has toured theworld with a floor developed byHarlequin that not only standsup to such a harsh regime, butalso provides the right degree ofgrip or ‘traction’ to avoid slipsand falls. When dancers haveconfidence in the floor, they canput maximum effort into theirperformance without holdingback, cautious that they couldslip and injure themselves. Otherinjuries are caused by frequentlydancing on hard unyielding floorsthat can result in longer-termstress related damage. This iswhere a suitable sprung floor hasbeen shown by research to reducethe impact of landing from jumpsfor example and reduce the stresson limbs and muscles.A performance floor is not onlysomething to walk on – the rightchoice can make a big differenceto how it wears, how performerscan be better protected andeven contribute to the stage setvisually. Happily there are provensolutions to suit the various needsof performers and Harlequin Floorsare on hand to provide free advice.Ballet barres are a prerequisite for dancers. Bothamateurs and professionals can minimise the risk ofinjury by stretching and warming up properly beforerehearsing or performing.Harlequin offers a range of freestanding, wallor floor-mounted ballet barres and brackets to suit allneeds and budgets.Barres available for purchaseonline www.harlequinfloors.comAmanda Restell Academy of DanceBritish Harlequin plcFestival House, Chapman WayTunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3EFTel: +44 (0)1892 514888Fax: +44 (0)1892 514222Freephone: 0800 28 99 32www.harlequinfloors.comenquiries@harlequinfloors.comLONDONLUXEMBOURGBERLINPARISMADRIDLOS ANGELESPHILADELPHIAFORT WORTHSYDNEYHONG KONGIf you have a smart phone, scanthe code below to go directly tothe Harlequin Shop.Contact us for more information 0800 28 99 32enquiries@harlequinfloors.com30 Music & Drama