27/10/2010
Harlequin hints at research support at IADMS conference

When the 20th Annual Meeting of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) convenes at the Birmingham Hippodrome 28-30 October we can expect some news of an important announcement from British Harlequin.

Harlequin is a brand well recognised throughout the dance community as leading the way in developing and evolving the modern dance floor. This is thanks in no small part to a close relationship forged between dancers and a manufacturer intent on developing floors that dancers choose to dance on. Dancers are naturally well aware of the importance of a good floor and in recent years Harlequin has supported various researchers to gain a greater insight into understanding of the important contributing factors that constitute a ‘good floor’. Although there are published standards for floors, these tend to group dance floors together with floors for sport where the requirements are quite different. For example sports people tend to wear cushioned footwear that absorbs impact and of course many sports require a hard floor that offers a consistent bounce for ball games. For dance it is the underlying sprung floor that provides the ‘cushioning’ effect and the dance surface that offers just the right degree of ‘traction’. Factors that contribute to health in mitigating against injuries attributed to hard floors, safety due to a surface that helps to avoid slips and falls and a floor combination that provides the right ‘feel’ for dancers to perform with confidence. Harlequin continues to encourage and support on-going and new research into the relationship between dance performance, health and safety and applying this knowledge into a mission to develop high quality floors. Some indication can be expected at IADMS of an important announcement related to a new research initiative is expected next month.

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