DOMOTEX INNOVATION
A well-made fl oor is as essential to a dancer as well-laid turf is to Thomas Muller and rope and canvas is to Tyson Fury. Whether you’re a Bayern International midfi elder or the WBC heavyweight champion, the right surface can mean the diff erence between a good or bad performance and, more importantly, even reduce or increase the risk of injury. And like the gyms, studios and training pitches on which they prepare, the modern dancefl oors have unique benefi ts for the athletes who use them, regardless of discipline. And given that all of the above are spectator activities, they also have to look the part, which is why wood is often a preferred aesthetic. So, what are the options? That usually depends on the discipline. Ballet dancers, for example, will want something completely diff erent to, say, someone who performs ballroom or modern jazz. A percussive dance such as tap will need a sprung surface with a vinyl layer element to withstand the movement. But whatever the style, one of the most important starting points is that is has to be slip- resistant. Traction is important only insofar as it doesn’t introduce too much rigidity. Dancers, for example, need a combination of what the experts call energy return and shock absorption. Athletes and sports players in particular tend to need an even higher energy return. When Thomas Muller plays a long ball forward, it needs to bounce. A sprung fl oor has its own bounce, yet it absorbs shock, supporting and cushioning dancers, whether aided by either of the two most popular styles of Point Elastic or Area Elastic sprung systems. Point elastic fl oors absorb shock at the point of impact. So, as the dancer hits the fl oor, that is where the shock is absorbed. The degree of defl ection is produced by using cushioned vinyl at the point of contact. Area Elastic fl oors defl ect impact over a wider surface area. So,
they provide a high level of shock absorption and comfort: one of the reasons Area Elastic fl ooring is becoming increasingly popular. As far as materials are concerned, it’s usually a choice between wood and vinyl. Laminate surfaces have a tendency to be too slippery and
WE BUILD FLOORS THAT CAN there are no dedicated technical feels they can actually trust it. Yet
GENERATE ENERGY, ARE SMART, INTERACTIVE AND ALSO MAKE SUSTAINABILITY VISIBLE. EVERYONE WHO STEPS ON THEM, CAN MAKE AN IMPACT
Company statement | Energy Floors BACK TO CONTENTS DOMOTEX 2022
QUO TE
standards for dance fl oors and
the benchmark most often used is EN 14904, the one used for multi purpose sports fl oors.
Not that this should come as any no surprise,
perhaps, given that athletes usually look for the same
easily scratched. You will fi nd wood fl ooring in most dance studios, even though it tends to be more expensive: ideal for ballet, Latin, and ballroom, in fact, although obviously less so for tap, even when protected by a suitable lacquer. Vinyl is popular for its resilience and good for protecting the surface from shoe taps while giving a fair amount of grip and, equally, a lot more give. Sprung sports vinyl comes in a range of thicknesses, typically from 5mm-10mm. Given the signifi cance of a reliable, fl at surface for an activity based on the performer’s constant interaction with it, it’s important that he or she
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