Last week we brought you a range of dance studio guidelines in recognition of how popular dance-fitness classes have become in recent years. From commercial gyms to educational establishments for all ages, a dance studio has become an essential requirement for performance related courses and classes.
In the first of our two part guides we touched on the numerous factors which need to be taken into account both for dancer and instructor enjoyment and the wellbeing of the performers. Unfortunately installing a dance studio certainly isn’t as simple as installing full-length mirrors and a practising bar, a room fit for a studio needs to be suitably adapted. It doesn’t need to be an exhaustive process however, and our guides aim to highlight exactly what you’ll need without the jargon!
As always if there is anything you would like know or anything you view as important in dance studio construction then please get in touch via the comments.
Ventilation
Dancing is strenuous when carried out for as little as 30 minutes and if your space is likely to be used for practising students, then the reality is dancers may be using the space for hours at a time. Ventilation is therefore essential and needs to be intelligently managed; extreme heat in summer and Arctic temperatures in winter won’t make for a professional space dancers are happy to use!
Even and controlled temperature is key here and open windows or a localised heater won’t usually offer the consistency you need. As a quick guide, the National Dance Teachers Association (NDTA) recommend around a constant of 24C with a minimum of 21C. However some organisations do state that slightly lower than 21C is acceptable for more active dances. The ventilation system must be robust enough to cope with at least a dozen air changes per hour, however it is important that a system is overly loud so it doesn’t affect teaching and music quality. Ensuring no more than a noise level of 30 is recommended by Sport Scotland.
The most effective heating and cooling system is essentially one which adapts quickly and provides almost immediate relief, so consider investing in an evenly positioned temperature controlled heating system and evenly distributed air conditioning outlets. Ideally you should be able to choose exactly what temperature you want and have an overall measurement for the room. This way you can gradually learn what temperatures are optimum for which class.
Sound
Sound installation and acoustic modelling is an initial requirement to consider as hard surfaces and adjoining spaces can make insulation and acoustic modelling a highly important consideration. A specialist studio and stage installation company will be able to advise you on these factors so don’t worry if you don’t know where to start.
The sound system for a dance studio needs to be simple to use, if you are offering the space to various dance teachers with various music pieces then it is essential they can use the system without undergoing complicated training. A good option is an all-in-one system with an amplifier, some loudspeakers and the ability to use a personal MP3 player. Again if you’re wondering what would be best for your space a stage sound system company will be able to advise.
Lighting
If your studio will be used for multiple purposes (for example dance, martial arts and theatre) then lighting becomes a crucial consideration for pleasing all users. For theatrical performances blackout curtains will be required whereas dancers may relish the natural light from highly positioned windows. Spotlights create a warm and welcoming effect and they’re highly functional and relatively cheap to install, however it is imperative you manage glare off mirrored walls.
You can really be as creative or neutral as you like with your lighting, a multi-use space will require more thought for different performances.
Overall Design
If ballet will be taught or rehearsed in your venue then you will probably want to install dance barres. This can be slightly problematic if you will be teaching a variety of ages, however, as the requirements are different for this fixture:
0.914m from floor for children aged up to 14, 32mm diameter
1.067m from floor for adult use, 45mm diameter
Source: Sport Scotland
There are flexible ways to cater for everyone however and if you want your venue to be suitable for all ages then an established dance academy should be able to advise you on any creative solutions. Of course wall mirrors are highly useful and this is an obvious consideration, however be sure to protect the mirrors adequately if any contact sports will be taking place in the venue.
We hope that has given you a detailed overview of exactly what considerations you need to take into account before installing a dance studio. If you would like to find out more about installing a studio in your venue then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the stage and studio installation specialists at PG Stage.