Harlequin Floors expands its home studio equipment range to help both professional and amateur dancers to train safely
by on May 4, 2020 in Press Releases
Harlequin Floors, the global leader in advanced technology floors and studio equipment for the performing arts, has expanded its range of dedicated home studio equipment due to a rise in demand for dance mats and ballet barres from both professional and amateur dancers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Harlequin Floors works with dance scientists, experts in biomechanics and dancers themselves to produce the best possible flooring for dance; one which safeguards dancers from slips and falls, and helps protect against longer-term stress injuries. The injuries that can occur when practising on an unsuitable floor include sprained ankles and hamstrings, knee and tendon issues and even bone fractures from bad falls. The need to maintain similar levels of safety when dancing from home is paramount.
The expanded Harlequin Home Studio Equipment range offers the renowned Harlequin vinyl dance floors and equipment in portable sizes.
The Harlequin Cascade vinyl practice mats are available in 2 sizes, 1m x 1m, as well as the new larger 2m x 1m mat. Both come with a handy bag for storage and portability.
The site also features the Harlequin Tap and Turn board, a 1m x 1m board with birch plywood one side and Harlequin Reversible vinyl the other, is ideal for both tap and ballet.
A range of freestanding ballet barres are also available in three sizes, small, medium and large and for those needing a sprung dance floor surface, Harlequin’s Home Studio Kits are now available on the webshop. The kits contains Liberty panels with a Harlequin Cascade or Reversible vinyl top surface. These are available in three sizes; 2m x 1m, 2m x 2m and 2m x 3m.
Melissa Chapman, Group Marketing Manager at Harlequin Floors said: “Dancers are used to a tight schedule of training and rehearsals to keep their bodies in peak condition.
“They train in fully equipped studios where flooring, mirrors, barres, music and even air temperature have all been considered with the utmost care, they are normally surrounded by fellow dancers too.
“However, since the Covid-19 lockdown dancers around the world have suddenly had to adjust to undertaking their daily dance training within a space in their own home.
“In response to the huge surge in demand for our Home Studio products, it became quickly apparent that we needed to add a bigger practice mat to the range to satisfy professional and amateur dancers’ needs.
“The new mat is perfect for use with a barre for barre work and limbering and gives a greater floor area to practice dance combinations.”
Lauren Cuthbertson, principal dancer at The Royal Ballet, said: “Practicing at home is now so much easier since receiving my Harlequin Ballet Barre and practice mat.
“Having a Harlequin Cascade mat to train on makes a real difference as it is the same floor we are used to performing on at The Royal Opera House and I can be confident that it will support me”
Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director for the English National Ballet said: “The wellbeing of our dancers is of the utmost importance for all at English National Ballet, and being able to provide them with the same Harlequin floors they usually train and perform on, while they work in their own homes, has been a huge relief.
“I am really happy we were able to support them in this way thanks to the commitment and professionalism of the team at Harlequin, which are shared qualities that has made them perfect partners for many years”
