Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 1975 - 37

DANCE UNDER-FLOOR FRAME

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Fig. 1

transport and subject to damage. Personally, I would only
use plywood in making a permanent floor.
Other people as well as I have tried vainly to find vinyl
flooring made in America that will answer the needs of a
dancer. I will continue to look.
How do you lay a portable floor?
Before using any "soh" flooring, linoleum or vinyl, I
suggest that it be prepared by having all the edges taped.
One inch or one and a half inch gaffer's tape should be
used. If only two inch is available, tear off at least one
half inch of the width. The tape should be affixed to the
whole perimeter, wrapped around the edge to cover top
and bottom surfaces equally. This will prevent crumbling
and stretching and appreciably lengthen the life of your
floor.
Since the best way to store your flooring is to roll it up
and place it in a rack or stand it on end (never pile one
linoleum floor onto another; the weight will crack them.),
the floor should be unrolled and left to lie until it is
perfectly flat. Then, line up the edges and tape each strip
of flooring to the next. Also tape down the outside edges.
If the floor is going to sit in one place for a long time,
over a "veek, say, use double stick tape below each seam.
By the way, you should lay your floor with seams
horizontal to the audience or vertical to them depending
on the general direction of the dancing, right to left or
upstage to downstage; you want the dancers to avoid
hitting seams as much as possible.
Except for plywood, the only "portable" flooring that
I know of that can be laid permanently is battleshi p
linoleum. In fact, it 'is really made to be glued down to
provide a tough, long-lasting surface. Its portability is a
discovery of dancers.

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THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

FAll,1975

What tape IS best to use on portable floors?
I have found that duct tape is the best and cheapest
one to use, and that two inch width is the best for setting
up your floors. Permacel has a wi de selection of colors
(including black and white tapes to blend into the Marley
floor) and grades. There are other brands, as well. I find
duct tape less slippery and less reflective than gaffer's, and
it is a fraction of the cost.
How do you care for a portable floor?
To get full life out of your floor you should clean it
ohen, at least before each day's use, mopping it with a
good cleaner, like Spic & Span, or an ammonia cleanser.
Give it a thorough cleaning about twice a year with a
strong industrial cleaner and an electric cleaning brush to
remove resin buildup. Be careful not to do this too often
or you will wear out the floor. Be very careful about
laying the floor, especially when it is cold, and about
removing the tape and rolling it up. Store it carefully in a
dry place with a constant, moderate temperature.
Does the floor color matter?
In battleship linoleum I prefer dark gray (taped with
olive green duct tape, which blends) because it will 00 well
with a black surround. Brown linoleum on a wood floor
makes it difficult to see the edge of your dance surface.
The Marley white side acts as a light bounce, giving the
illusion of more light; but it can be too bright for
television cameras. The black side reflects no light,
allowing for an effect of complete isolation when used
with a black surround. However, the dancers must get
used to the effect, as the floor seems to disappear. I
believe that the new Swedish flooring comes in a variety
of colors.

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