Dance studios come in all shapes and sizes. Some are brand new and state of the art while others are antiques. In this article, we’ll be looking at common elements found in every professional dance studio. Let’s begin with the dance floor.

 

Besides finding the best dance teacher in town, a good dance floor is the most important element to look for when choosing a dance studio. Dance floors can be made of wood or plastic. Ideally, dance studios will have “sprung” flooring. This means that the floor has been especially designed to incorporate a sufficient amount of shock absorbency for soft cushioned landings of jumps. Since dancers wear little to no protection on their feet while dancing (unlike athletes), a “sprung” dance floor is important for injury prevention. “Sprung” floors allow for movement by way of ample space in between layers of softer floorboards. Note that “Sprung” floors are costly and some studios are not equipped with these.

 

 Barres are very common in all dance studios. The barre is used in many theatrical dance forms as an important training tool. Professional dancers do ‘barre work’ everyday as part of their ongoing training. There are many types of barres; wooden, metal, stable and portable. Some studios have adjustable barres for different heights.

 

Many dance studios are equipped with mirrors in order to give the dancer ongoing visual feedback. Depending on the teacher, the mirror could be used constantly or not at all. Mirrors come in all shapes and sizes.

 

Some dance studios have mats for the purposes of conditioning and/or stretching. These should be periodically thoroughly washed in order to maintain a high level of hygiene.

 

All dance studios have technical equipment for playing music and some have musical instruments, such as a piano or drums, and hire accompanists to play in selected classes.