There is a certain romance in the memory of how many dancers began. Studios in church halls, rehearsals on uneven wooden floors, even classes held outdoors on the grass or, for one iconic summer school, out in the bush. Those places shaped generations of artists and remain part of the folklore of Australian dance. Yet as our understanding of the body has grown, so too has our responsibility to ensure the environments in which we train, rehearse and perform are safe. The studio must be more than familiar or nostalgic; it must protect the dancers within it.
Every rehearsal space carries its own energy, but it also carries risk. Hard floors, poor lighting, bad ventilation or inadequate space can all contribute to fatigue, strain or injury. Today, safe dance practice is recognised as essential to a dancer’s physical and mental wellbeing, and to a teacher’s professional duty of care. In Australia, industry standards and Safe Dance guidelines require that hazards are identified and managed, from the condition of mirrors and barres to emergency access and cleaning schedules. It is a shared responsibility between teachers, directors, studio owners and students to create and maintain a culture of safety.
Among all the elements that make up a studio, the floor remains the most critical. A good floor protects the dancer’s body from the relentless forces of training, absorbing impact while still providing stability and control. According to Ausdance’s Safe Dance resources, floors for dancing should always be sprung, semi-sprung or cushioned, offering at least half of the shock absorption required to protect joints and ligaments. By contrast, concrete or rigid timber surfaces transmit impact directly through the body, increasing the likelihood of overuse injuries such as shin splints and knee pain. A well-designed floor should be consistent, responsive and appropriately sprung, allowing freedom of movement without compromising safety.
Physiotherapists who specialise in dance consistently identify flooring as one of the key factors in injury prevention. Nicole Baer and Katie Godwin from Sydney’s Zone 34 physiotherapy clinic have noted that even small differences in shock absorption and traction can alter a dancer’s loading pattern, leading to cumulative stress on bones and tendons over time. In their words, “A floor that supports the dancer is as important as good alignment or strength training. It allows the body to work efficiently rather than defensively.”
Among the companies that have dedicated themselves to this principle is Harlequin Floors, founded in the 1970s on the belief that purpose-built performance floors would allow artists to perform at their best while reducing the risk of injury. Harlequin floors are now used in many of the world’s leading venues, from the Royal Opera House and the Paris Opera Ballet to schools and companies across Australia and New Zealand. Their sprung and vinyl floors are designed to provide the balance of resilience, traction and shock absorption that dance demands.
Safety in the studio extends beyond the floor. Adequate lighting and ventilation, unobstructed space, well-maintained equipment and a culture that encourages open communication are equally vital. Teachers should model safe practice, students should feel empowered to report hazards, and everyone should recognise that safety is not a luxury or an afterthought but the foundation of artistic freedom.
Dance will always involve risk. It asks the body to stretch, jump, turn and fall in pursuit of expression. Yet those risks should be creative, not environmental. As the industry evolves, let the studios that nurture Australia’s dancers be places of both inspiration and protection, built on the simple truth that great art deserves safe ground beneath its feet. 