Health and Safety in the Studio

It may seem quite logical, but dance can be a dangerous activity if caution is not taken to ensure that all risks of injury are minimised. You need to be aware of

these both for your own safety- and because it may appear on your Unit 1 exam!

Types of things to consider concerning the dance environment…

Ventilation

Why is Ventilation important?

• Dancers need a source of fresh, non-contaminated air

• Allows the removal of stale and humid air• Ensure air movement which provides a sense of

freshness without a draught• Without ventilation the studio becomes stuffy• Without ventilation it is difficult for dancers to

maintain their attention and the risk of accidents is greater

Temperature

Why is Temperature important?

• Helps the dancer’s body to warm up appropriately• Reduce the chances of injury• Layers of clothing are worn which can then be

discarded as the dancers warm up.• Individuals have personal preferences concerning

the environmental temperature and it is difficult to specify a level which satisfies everyone, however, Equity recommends a minimum temperature of 18 degrees

Lighting

Why is Lighting important?

• Enables dancers to see and avoids injury• Should be sufficient to enable dancers to

move about safely• Lights and light fittings should not create a

hazard

Cleanliness

Why is it Cleanliness important?

• Removal of litter and a clean floor is not only hygienic but also makes the studio more pleasant to dance in

Room Dimensions/Space

Why is Space important?• A suitable space for dancing is one that allows maximum

enjoyment and movement without jeopardising physical safety.• ideal space should be large enough to allow dance movements

to be performed with reasonable freedom• This includes a ceiling which is sufficiently high enough to allow

unrestricted movements• Any obstacles in the studio should be removed to reduce the

chances of dancers colliding into them and causing injury• Any objects, pictures, mirrors, etc. attached to the walls of the

studio must be secured to prevent them from falling on the dancers

• Chairs should be stacked up and placed away from the dance area.

Welfare

What is meant by Welfare?

• When people attend a dance studio they use more than just the room in which they dance. Other rooms should be available, at the very least, to allow dancers to change and have access to toilet facilities. There are minimum standards which must be achieved to be acceptable for use by dancers and the public.

Other things to think about

• Secure Mirrors• Storage Space• Pillars• Low Ceilings• Types of Floor

Dance FloorsSports floors are not required to be as resilient as dance floors because sports players are more concerned with, for example, ball bounce characteristics. In addition, sports players have added protection from cushioned sports shoes. The surface finish of the dance floor is of great concern to dancers and the requirements differ depending on the dance genre: • Dancers who are using dance shoes, e.g. ballet and jazz, require a

floor which enables a good grip whilst allowing the foot to slide in a controlled manner.

• Dancing in bare feet requires a finer surface finish to reduce the

chances of friction burns whilst still providing sufficient grip to move. Maintenance of the floor is another important factor to a good floor surface. Non one likes to use a dirty floor and obstacles no matter how small (e.g. chewing gum) would certainly constitute a hazard to dancers.