Many novice dancers always complain that they cannot dance well because the dance floors are too slippery. Is there a way to make floors safer for dancing?
Why are dance floors slippery? It is not uncommon to hear Ballroom dancers complain about the slippery dancer floor in the public dance hall or even private studio. Some dancers even wet the sole of their dance shoes with water to prevent themselves from slipping.
It is true that wetting dance shoes can prevent slippage for a very short period of time. However, water is never a good adhesive for the wood flooring. More important is that once the wood floor is wet, it may cause the floor to be slippery. This is obviously not very fair to other dancers or users of the same floor. There are two main reasons why dance floors seem slippery.
- The shoes: The soles of Ballroom dance shoes are made of very soft suede material. Such suede materials are actually leather with a furry texture. This is believed to offer a good grip on a wooden floor. After some wear, these suede materials will harden and they no longer grip well with the floor. Even wetting it with water will not bring back the original cohesive texture. The sole will dry eventually and harden again.
- Loosened debris such as feathers or threads falling from ladies’ dance wear or costumes is also a cause of slippery dance floors. Once this debris gets stuck on the soles of the dance shoes, it will cause slips.
- The dancer: Another reason has to do with the dancer himself or herself. It is important to for a dancer to have good balance for dancing. Once such balance is upset, naturally the floor may become slippery. Once a dancer is confident with all these spins and turns, there will be fewer problems with the floor.
Preventive Measures To Make Dance Floor More Safe For Dancing
- Check shoes: Always brush the bottom of the shoes with a special shoe brush made of wire before or after dancing. This is to clear all debris and dirt that may make the floor slippery.
- Conditioning oil: Instead of water, conditioning oil can help shoes adhere to wood floors better.
- Use non-slip powder: In some studios, non-slip powder is sprinkled on floors to prevent slipping. This powder is actually very similar to the ones used for gymnastics and quite effective to bind shoes to the floor.
- Buy better quality shoes: A pair of dance shoes is an important investment to any serious Ballroom or Latin dancer. If possible try to buy dance shoes by reputable makers from England such as Supadance or International. Of course, their prices will be higher. The fact is, they will use better quality materials in the shoes. These quality brands usually use better quality suede on the soles than their counterparts from China. As mentioned earlier, the suede sole is to provide grip with the wood floor, so better suede means less risk of slipping. Some dance shoes made in China use poor quality suede on the soles as well as unaligned heels can cause a high risk of slipping and injury.
- Use heel guards: For ladies, it is advisable to use heel guards on the shoes so as to prevent the heels from wearing out too soon. Heel guards are actually soft plastic covers that can be inserted onto the heels of ladies dance shoes. This actually helps to prolong the life of a pair of dance shoes. A small investment goes a long way.
- Improve balance: The balance of a dancer can certainly be trained. Once a dancer is more balanced, he or she is more stable and less likely to be affected by the floor condition. Useful tips on improving spins and turns can be found on this article.
- Warm up before dancing: Always warm up before dancing can help the body more prepared for movements and prevent unnecessary injury.
Safety Starts With The Dancer
Once they understand why the dance floor is slippery, dancers no longer have any excuse to blame their technical inadequacy on the slippery dance floors. After all, dance floor safety starts with the dancer.
References:
- Otani, Toshihiko, "Do Something With The Shoes", p.88 Dance Fan Magazine (in Japanese) No. 285 September 2009 Byakuya Shobo.
The copyright of the article Ballroom Latin Dance Made Safe in Ballroom/Latin Dance is owned by Winnie Ooi. Permission to republish Ballroom Latin Dance Made Safe in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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