Hopefully, after reading this, you will have a better understanding of why floating subfloors, like Alvas FloatFloor, are becoming more and more popular. They’re even being used as a selling point when promoting your studio. Bottom line: they feel better than a hard surface—but there’s more to it than that.
Even if you never fully grasp the concept of dampening and resiliency, or how a floating subfloor reduces stress on your joints compared to a hard surface, your body will tell you. We’ve seen doctor’s notes and scientific studies, and certainly, all that data can be hard for the average person to understand. Even though we’ve worked hard to make our floor exceptional, when dancers try it, all they say is, “Yeah, that feels good.” It’s funny because after all that research, “it feels good” seems like such a low-tech response.
Things get better over time. Alvas believes we have a premier, state-of-the-art floating floor that can compare to any that cost more. Back in the day, Rosalie and Alva (our founders) danced on raked stages. These stages were actually angled toward the audience so they could see better. Can you imagine doing a pirouette on an angled stage? Back then, having a shock-absorbing floor was probably never even considered.
This is an evolution, and I think it’s a good one. Anti-fatigue mats, for example, are very popular for people who stand in one place for long periods, and they help reduce stress. It’s a similar idea with a floating subfloor. We never get tired of seeing the smiles on dancers’ faces when they first run across our FloatFloor after a big grand jeté.
If you’d like a more detailed explanation from Matt, please contact us.
