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Why is the Blackpool ballroom floor springy |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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Why is the Blackpool ballroom floor springy
I saw a clip where someone I think JJ said the Blackpool ballroom floor has lots of springs under the floor
![]() How does this help the dancing? I thought it would put you off balance and be unhelpful
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#2 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Dublin
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Less chance of the "regulars" breaking a hip on a sprung floor
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#3 |
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Join Date: Oct 2005
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Most proper dancefloors are "sprung" to help the dancers avoid injury
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#4 |
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Quote:
Most proper dancefloors are "sprung" to help the dancers avoid injury
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#5 |
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Lol, its to do with reducing the impact of the floor and avoiding trauma to the knees etc during jumps, skip steps etc. Think of it like a cushioned landing, although you can't feel it when you land on the floor, over time you are less likely to get injuries such as shin splints and stress fractures due to repetitive trauma. And yes, any good dance studio will have a sprung floor - I was a bit shocked that the BBC didn't provide sprug flooring when they decided to do Strictly.
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#6 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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PS Its not like a trampoline! If you have ever been to a gym/aerobics studio you have been on a sprung floor. I've got images of people thinking you literally spring around like a kangaroo or something - its not hugely noticeable!
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#7 |
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Join Date: Jul 2007
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Quote:
Lol, its to do with reducing the impact of the floor and avoiding trauma to the knees etc during jumps, skip steps etc. Think of it like a cushioned landing, although you can't feel it when you land on the floor, over time you are less likely to get injuries such as shin splints and stress fractures due to repetitive trauma. And yes, any good dance studio will have a sprung floor - I was a bit shocked that the BBC didn't provide sprug flooring when they decided to do Strictly.
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#8 |
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: the dance floor
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same concept as "you shouldn't run on concrete" - gives you shin splits, stress fractures, and no end of problems. You soon notice where there isn't a sprung dance floor after an evening of (eg) ceroc dancing, or any dancing
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#9 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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Quote:
Beat me to it....All dance floors should be sprung....In the ideal world every gym should have a sprung floor as well.....I`v suffered from shin splints and it`s f*&%*n painful....As you say I `am very surprised the BBC don`t fit a sprung floor as part of the strictly set.I remember watching a documentary about the River Dance show many years ago and the Dancers were bereft when they arrived at one arena and the floor was`t sprung.....They were all aware that injuries were a real possibility....I think the promoter had to fit a sprung floor literally hours before the opening night.
Its not hard to fit a sprung floor either, you can easily build one over an existing floor. Why wouldn't the BBC do things properly? You would think they want to protect themselves against possible injury claims etc by the pro's? |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: North-West England
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It's laid in a similar manner to that of the floors in squash courts.
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#11 |
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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Quote:
Lol, its to do with reducing the impact of the floor and avoiding trauma to the knees etc during jumps, skip steps etc. Think of it like a cushioned landing, although you can't feel it when you land on the floor, over time you are less likely to get injuries such as shin splints and stress fractures due to repetitive trauma. And yes, any good dance studio will have a sprung floor - I was a bit shocked that the BBC didn't provide sprug flooring when they decided to do Strictly.
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#12 |
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: the dance floor
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Quote:
Thanks for the explanations everyone. What about the different halls where they have to do their long hours training sessions. I doubt any of them are sprung floor dance studios. They seem to be part of various sports halls.
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#13 |
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All good dance floors are sprung. Easier to dance, less trauma to joints and kinder on the body if/when you fall.
I couldn't believe the Beeb hadn't got one for the show. |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Jan 2009
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Quote:
All good dance floors are sprung. Easier to dance, less trauma to joints and kinder on the body if/when you fall.
I couldn't believe the Beeb hadn't got one for the show. Is it normal to train in proper dance shoes? For running, no-one trains in race shoes, precisely because race shoes don't offer much support. They are very light, so you go quickly, but your joints ache for days after a hard race. ![]() Do people train in more forgiving shoes and then only wear proper footwear for the show itself? Or can you only refine technique in proper dance shoes? (For running, the only difference with wearing race shoes is that you go faster; the technique is the same as with heavier, supportive shoes.) |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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I thought I noticed Flavia training in Jazz sneakers the other day. These are good supporting, and have a split sole allowing you to move through your feet and through the floor and depending on the brand there is a slight shock absorption too. I have noticed male pro's dancing in trainers on occasion too which I found a slight shock but suppose its not that big a deal as again, they would have a shock absorbing sole and be supportive of the feet. I think, from a woman's perspective, I prefer to get my heels on as soon as possible as they definitely alter the way you move and if they are what you are going to be wearing for performing then you might as well get used to them ASAP - I usually learn a dance in jazz sneakers then transfer into my Capezios or whatever shoes I will be wearing for the performance with plenty of time to get used to them. However, whilst shoes are important, they are not quite as important as dancing on a sprung floor. Eg, my training is mainly in Ballet and in regular ballet shoes i.e not pointe or demi-pointe shoes you basically have no support, the shoe is more like a glove, and the strength is built up entirely in your feet and ankles. Most contemporary dancers dance in bare feet or just a thong (FOOT thong, get your mind out of the gutter please!) and once I got on to medals my jazz teacher insisted we danced in bare feet for exams and performance, allowing us to develop and demonstrate the strength in our feet, as jazz trainers can distort the impression of what the foot is doing in the view of an adjudicator and I found regular jazz shoes to be slippy. I think it is important for the female celebs especially to dance in their heels asap as dancing in heels does take a bit of getting used to in terms of balance and the weight being more forward etc. The pro females are probably much more used to their heels and I would imagine it would be much easier to teach at the beginning of the week in shoes such as jazz sneakers, as the male celebs are still getting used to the dance, and accidents (in the foxtrot, quickstep etc) are more likely to happen.
On the other topic, I do believe that most of the training takes place in the dance/aerobics studios of gyms. These most likely have a cushioned floor. |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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Quote:
All good dance floors are sprung. Easier to dance, less trauma to joints and kinder on the body if/when you fall.
I couldn't believe the Beeb hadn't got one for the show. |
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#17 |
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Join Date: Jan 2009
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Bella,
My two daughters (age 5 and 7) do ballet and tap (I think they have Carpezio shoes - the name is familiar and I can't think how I'd have heard it otherwise!) and "Miss" is insistent on ballet shoes and tap shoes in class. I didn't know if this was technique related or tradition. I learnt a hell of a lot when I took the dynamic duo to their exams recently - hair must be in a bun (which "Miss" and the head of the dance school helped me with, thankfully, because I'm a numpty bloke ), no cardigans, bows or laces but not both on shoes etc. - and deduced that dancing has some quite strict rules. I can see, though, that the footwear aspect of technique would be very important.Both girls want to be "Strictly" pros, so I tell them that Erin and Flavia eat all their veg and don't answer back. They've fallen for eating their veg, but can't see why backchat isn't permitted - I blame "Bad Boy Brendan".
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#18 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 649
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Quote:
Bella,
My two daughters (age 5 and 7) do ballet and tap (I think they have Carpezio shoes - the name is familiar and I can't think how I'd have heard it otherwise!) and "Miss" is insistent on ballet shoes and tap shoes in class. I didn't know if this was technique related or tradition. I learnt a hell of a lot when I took the dynamic duo to their exams recently - hair must be in a bun (which "Miss" and the head of the dance school helped me with, thankfully, because I'm a numpty bloke ), no cardigans, bows or laces but not both on shoes etc. - and deduced that dancing has some quite strict rules. I can see, though, that the footwear aspect of technique would be very important.Both girls want to be "Strictly" pros, so I tell them that Erin and Flavia eat all their veg and don't answer back. They've fallen for eating their veg, but can't see why backchat isn't permitted - I blame "Bad Boy Brendan". ![]() |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 733
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Quote:
Awww your girls sound lovely.
I knew diddly squat about dancing before the kids started going to ballet, but now I know 1st to 5th positions - not that my knees permit me to assume many of them! It's a good thing to be into, in my view, as it's a good form of exercise and instills discipline. "Miss" takes no nonsense from anyone, and I get to go running whilst they're locked in the dance hall.
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#20 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 649
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They will have brilliant posture and grace for life too!
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 275
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Quote:
Bella,
My two daughters (age 5 and 7) do ballet and tap (I think they have Carpezio shoes - the name is familiar and I can't think how I'd have heard it otherwise!) and "Miss" is insistent on ballet shoes and tap shoes in class. I didn't know if this was technique related or tradition. I learnt a hell of a lot when I took the dynamic duo to their exams recently - hair must be in a bun (which "Miss" and the head of the dance school helped me with, thankfully, because I'm a numpty bloke ), no cardigans, bows or laces but not both on shoes etc. - and deduced that dancing has some quite strict rules. I can see, though, that the footwear aspect of technique would be very important.Both girls want to be "Strictly" pros, so I tell them that Erin and Flavia eat all their veg and don't answer back. They've fallen for eating their veg, but can't see why backchat isn't permitted - I blame "Bad Boy Brendan". ![]() Aww, I'd love to have little girls like yours one day and I hope they would want to dance too. My poor mum didn't have a clue what she was getting herself into bless her, still doesn't! Yes, for ballet and tap, shoes would have to be worn at all times in class. Learning how to do the perfect bun is a must, my mum always did mine lopsided! Capezio make dancewear as well as shoes, their ballet tights may be Capezio? Perhaps their shoes too, but usually at that age teachers ask you to get the cheaper brand Roch Valley as they will constantly be outgrowing shoes. Beware, by the time they are 9 or 10 they can become right little divas and will insist that their hair etc hasn't been done right - no one can give a backstage strop like a 9 year old dancer ! The veg thing, I was at an aftershow bbq once and the children of some of the other performers were following me round asking me why I was eating the "boring food". I told them I like to be healthy and if you eat your fruit and veg you have a better chance of having a long healthy life. One cocky little lad said " So if you eat fruit and vegetables, you live longer? Yeah, right!" to which I said, "Yes, you are more likely too." Fast forward to half an hour later, everyone is eating dessert and there are a group of kids sat in the corner eating the fruit salad because it makes you live longer! Their parents love me now !
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#22 |
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Join Date: Jan 2009
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Our dance school sounds quite laid back in comparison!
The kids are really into dancing, both in an out of class. After the AS week on SCD recently, they practiced their lifts, with elder daughter playing the role of the man, and after a few tumble, she proudly demonstrated a twirl with her sis accross her back, with arms, legs and toes fully extended. This is much better than last year when I had to re-enact Austin's shoulder spin of Erin - with an 8 foot Christmas Tree!!!
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 275
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Quote:
Our dance school sounds quite laid back in comparison!
The kids are really into dancing, both in an out of class. After the AS week on SCD recently, they practiced their lifts, with elder daughter playing the role of the man, and after a few tumble, she proudly demonstrated a twirl with her sis accross her back, with arms, legs and toes fully extended. This is much better than last year when I had to re-enact Austin's shoulder spin of Erin - with an 8 foot Christmas Tree!!! ![]() !
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#24 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 989
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Why is the floor so springy?
Is it to help the dancers look more like bush kangaroos? |
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#25 |
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,073
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It was designed to make dance a moving experience.
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