Dance Floor
Dance Floor is a performance surface. It can be used for sprung floors, ballet, or sport.
Stock
The stock is kept on two dance-floor trolleys. The first trolley, the smaller of the two, is for the Athenaeum and holds 6 rolls of Harlequin reversible dancefloor that are used as a BLACK dance-floor. These floor rolls are as follows:
Dance Floor Trolley 1
- DF 1 SL (2000 x 6500mm) Split Roll - Joins DF 1 SR on centre (see below diagram)
- DF 1 SR (2000 x 6500mm)
- DF 2 (2000 x 13300mm)
- DF 3 (2000 x 13300mm)
- DF 4 (2000 x 13300mm)
- DF 5 (2000 x 13300mm)
- Spare (2000 x 6500mm) Split Roll
Dance Floor Trolley 2
The second dance-floor trolley holds 10 rolls and this is primarily floor for the Chandler, AGOS, rehearsal rooms and external venues. There are a few different floors on here and they are:
Harlequin reversible GREY / BLACK
2000 x 12000mm x 4 Rolls
2000 x 8000mm x 3 Rolls
Le Mark reversible WHITE / BLACK
2000 x 12000mm x 3 Rolls
* Note At the bottom of each trolley is a shelf containing a variety of offcuts of dance-floor. These can be cut up, used and discarded if needs be, but you should ask a Stage Technology staff member first.
At the bottom of Dance Floor Trolley 2 there are 2 rolls of wood effect lino. This is a cloth backed, soft feel domestic type lino, so isn't suitable for dance. It could be used as set dressing. The two rolls are different sizes. The larger of the two is 2000 x 6000 and the smaller is 1300 x 5900mm
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Close-Up
Other Sources of Dance Floor
The production manager of the show should contact Scottish Ballet if more floor is required.
Layout of Athenaeum Floor
Laying Dance Floor
This method requires 4 personnel, dance-floor, 2 brooms, gaffer tape and dance-floor tape.
Layout your entire floor and allow it to settle and warm up. Once in position, gaffer tape one end fully down and you need to get some air under the floor to allow tensioning to take place. The easiest way to do this is for someone to flick the long edge up all along the length of the floor. Next, place two personnel 'pullers' at the un-taped end of the floor ready to take tension and the remaining two personnel 'sweepers' each get a broom and get ready at the taped end. Tension is then applied by the two 'pullers' by pulling on the floor, carefully keeping it in line with the desired position. The sweepers then sweep the air out of the length of the dancefloor careful to remain standing on the dancefloor at the end until the pullers can get that end taped, once again with gaffer tape.
Repeat this process for all the rolls in use, being careful to keep around 5mm between each roll.
Once this has been completed, it's time for the long lengths to be taped. Split into two teams of two for taping. Using the dance-floor tape, fix at one end and one person keep pressure on this with a foot as the second person pulls out around 5m of tape out of the roll and lay it carefully down on the join. The person putting foot pressure on can then secure the tape down by either using a folded up towel or piece of tat or a small broom.
Repeat this process for all internal joins. The outer joins can then be taped with gaffer if required.
Cleaning and Care
Cleaning Supplies
All stock of floor cleaning equipment is stored in the floor cleaning cupboard located across from the sinks in the dock.
Stock of equipment that lives in the cupboard
- 4 x kentucky mop handles (with mop heads)
- 4 x replacement mop heads (shows should check the stock of mop heads and ensure there is always spare)
- 4 x Metal buckets
- 4 x fluffy dry mops (dust beaters)
- 1 x small dry mop frame (fluffy cover needed)
- 2 x replacement dry mops covers
- 2 x squeegee (wooden handles)
- 5 x black towels (these should be washed regularly by the show using them)
- Stock of dance floor cleaner and additional cleaning products
Shows should check the stock in the cupboard and ensure there is plenty replacement mop heads and cleaning fluids before they fit up, this should be purchased out of the show budget if required.
Cleaning Procedure
Step One – Dry Mop • Firstly make sure that the dry mop (fluffy) has been hoovered and is clean. • Start either upstage or downstage and run the mop along the length of the floor. Turning at each corner. Do not lift the mop while doing this. Shake out once complete. • Hoover it once you are finished with the dry mop and return to its holder in the cupboard.
Step Two – Not always necessary (See note below) • Using CIF (or something similar) fill a bucket with hot water. There will be directions on the back of the bottle as to how much CIF to add to the amount of liquid • Wring out the mop and work your way along the floor. Tackle one length at a time going in a side to side motion. • Empty the bucket and fill with warm water again to rinse out the mops to prepare for step three.
(This process is only done when the floor becomes slippery, it will not have to be done each day.)
Step Three - Dance floor cleaner/Meths • Fill the bucket with hot water and add a glug of dance floor cleaner (Rosco) or methylated spirit to this (Purple). • Mop the floor, this is done in runs from one side of the stage to the other. You should get twice across the stage and back again before having to rinse out your mop.
Step Four – General Venue Clean • Make sure that the wings are swept and hoovered. • Hoover the void/backstage area thoroughly.
- This process should take 30 minutes with two people.
Step Five – What to do in between breaks • During food breaks, especially during the tech run the floor can pick up a lot of dust so must be dealt with. • There is a large squeegees in the cleaning cupboard; place a slightly damp towel over it then go over the stage from side to side. Do not lift until the end • This is a good way to freshen up the floor when there isn't the time for a full mop. The towels need to be washed regularly and returned to the cupboard dry.