What Type of Flooring Is Best for Dance Studios?

People who own dance studios at some point must ask themselves, “What type of flooring is best for dance studios?” Finding a versatile floor that works for all functions can be tricky if you offer multiple dance styles. Use this guide to find the best dance flooring option, and don’t forget to measure the floor square footage so that you have the correct measurements when you’re ready to start the installation process. 

What Types of Floors Are There?

In the world of dance, there are many floors to choose from. In general, however, most flooring options come with the assumption that you will have a subfloor beneath the dance studio space. A subfloor prevents injuries by absorbing and distributing the dancer’s weight while jumping, leaping, or rolling.

The top dance floors on the market are hardwood or Marley/vinyl. There are many subcategories to vinyl or Marley flooring, such as Adagio, Rosco, VersaStep, etc.  Most of your options will be between vinyl and hardwood.

What Are the Benefits of Vinyl and Hardwood?

Marley flooring, a general term for vinyl in the dance world, has many benefits. Marley offers less maintenance than other floors, easy installation, easy transportation, and it comes in multiple types.

Hardwood looks elegant and stylish but is harder, meaning they are best for dancers wearing hard-soled shoes. In any case, hardwood is long-lasting, multipurpose, and available in permanent or portable options. 

What Floor Is Best for Each Style of Dance?

Your studio’s style of dance will influence your decision about its floor. If you have a studio with multiple rooms, you can use various floors so that each room has its own dance style. 

Ballet and pointe need a slip-resistant vinyl floor, whereas a tap floor needs a little slip and a harder top surface so that the acoustics sound better. You can perform modern and contemporary dance on just about any floor, but it will need to be a little slippery because these dancers typically do not wear shoes. Jazz and all other styles work on just about any other floor. If you use hardwood, make sure you have the correct floor finish on top and a stable subfloor to prevent injuries.

In general, hardwood or Marley flooring is best for dance studios. Safety is always the number one priority for dancers, so take the time when finding a subfloor and dance floor to ensure dancers can perform safely.