Sprung Dance Floors
Harlequin has led the way in developing and evolving modern sprung dance floors and has been involved with extensive research into reducing dancer injury.
Harlequin’s wide range of sprung wooden dance floors means that whether you are looking for a permanent or portable sprung wood floor for dance, theatre, events, or TV and film, we have a world-class sprung dance floor that is perfect for you. Used by leading performers and the world’s most prestigious dance and performing arts companies, each of Harlequin’s floors is different.
Sprung Dance Floors
The Nashville Ballet relies on a variety of Harlequin products in their performance spaces, including Harlequin Liberty sprung floors as well as Harlequin Cascade and Reversible Pro vinyl performance surfaces.
The Harlequin range of sprung floors
Often referred to as a ‘wood dance floor’ or as a ‘floating floor system’, a sprung floor is a floor that provides some degree of bounce and flexes under impact. Performers need a sprung floor to absorb the shock of repeated impact to their joints and to reduce injury from falls. Harlequin has a range of wooden sprung floors available. The more traditional options provide spring through bending woven wooden battens, whilst the more modern options use panel systems with foam or elastomer pads.
Professional dancers can spend six to eight hours a day working in a dance studio and are continually jumping, leaping and lifting. The quality of the dance floor makes an important contribution to the safe performance of a dancer, reducing the risk of long-term stress injuries to joints and muscles. Floors developed for commercial or sports applications do not offer the benefits that dancers appreciate when they talk about the ‘feel’ of the floor. Only purpose-built dance floors do that.
Sprung floors are most commonly used in permanent installations, although Harlequin has developed a range of portable panel system panel products that are also suitable as a permanent sprung floor or for touring companies as a portable sprung floor solution.
Harlequin sprung floors are installed for the practice and performance of many types of dance, including ballet, classical dance and much more.
The Harlequin range of sprung floors has been developed for use in combination with a vinyl or wood performance top surface. Harlequin’s expert team travel the world installing our range of Harlequin sprung floor systems in a wide range of venues.
Harlequin WoodSpring
Harlequin WoodSpring is a premium sprung floor and the industry standard for permanent installations. A modern update of the traditional ‘basket weave’ construction it is comprised of a layer of select plywood, a triple-layer of custom machined southern yellow pine with dual density elastomer blocks attached to the underside.
Harlequin WoodSpring is designed for permanent installation by Harlequin Contracts Division and is guaranteed for 10 years.
The Royal Ballet School, Scottish Ballet, LIPA and many others dance on Harlequin WoodSpring.
Harlequin Activity
Harlequin Activity is a ‘fully-floating’ system without fixings to the sub-floor constructed using Harlequin’s proprietary ‘triple sandwich’ construction method, created over 30 years ago. It provides excellent
shock-dampening – without a trampoline effect.
An ‘industry standard’ choice with many hundreds of installations worldwide, Harlequin Activity is designed for permanent installation by Harlequin Contracts Division and is guaranteed for 10 years.
Harlequin Activity is the choice of The Royal Academy of Dance, Shakespeare’s Globe, Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and many others.
Harlequin Liberty
Harlequin Liberty is a modular panel-based sprung-floor system. Harlequin Liberty panels feature dual-density shock dampening elastomer pads, giving uniform and consistent shock dampening.
The panels join together quickly and simply using Harlequin’s proprietary ‘one turn of the key’ latch and lock mechanism. They are easy to transport, store and install making Harlequin Liberty ideal for touring, it can also be easily stored in carts, giving stage crews a safe and easy way to transport the panels around. Harlequin Liberty is also available for temporary installation through our dance floor hire service.
The Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Opera House, Sadler’s Wells and many others dance on Harlequin Liberty.
Harlequin Flexity
Harlequin Flexity is a cost-effective, self-install sprung floor panel system. Selected birch ply panels with shock-absorbing elastomer pads join together using a special tongue and groove system.
Harlequin Flexity is used by the Conservatoire d’Orsay Paris, University of West London and many others.
Whichever you choose, our installation options mean it can either be installed by Harlequin’s expert technical installation teams or self-installed if this is required. What’s more, each of our wood dance floors is guaranteed for 10 years, so you know you will be getting a quality product that truly lasts.
Why not take a look at our home studio range for further information on home practice products such as our home ballet barres, practice mat and travel bag or portable dance floors.
