Use that spare room in your home or office to make an impressive dance studio with minimal efforts. Renting a dedicated space could lead to higher investments and more significant logistical issues. But having your dance class at the back of your house will eliminate any doubts.
Minimal home decor can deck-up your studio space and bring it to life. As functional as they are, you don’t need to invest in high-end designers and contracts to make this space work for you. Think of this as a DIY guide to make that dream studio come to life.
Here is everything you need to know before setting up your dance studio.
Setup Basics Needs for Dance Class:
A basic setup is all you need to create the ideal atmosphere for dance. This includes flooring, mirrors, and soundproofing. With these three check-boxes clicked, you have covered a substantial part of the route map. We will dive deeper into these later in this article.
The other thing to note is the location of your studio. If you stay in a remote area, then the dance class will only attract a few people. Ensure your place is conducive for commuters, holds a sufficient class size, and has no parking restrictions.
Apart from the main studio space, you will also need changing rooms and washrooms. These are a prerequisite to encourage better numbers in your classes. Keep a space for storing bags or locker areas. This area does not need to be very elaborate; a multifunctional shelf from a home decor store will do the trick.
If you are hosting kids at your class, you will also need to create a parents’ waiting area.
Lately, we cannot ignore safety. People must be at safe distances, with decluttered classes, and the flooring should be on-point Which brings us to the essential factor of a dance class set up — the floor.
Dance Studio Flooring:
If you are a trained dancer, you understand the need for the right floor. Here is how you can get this done affordably.
Firstly, the floor depends on the type of dance you offer. Some dance floor materials such as vinyl or softwood-laminate will do the trick for most classes.
Your floor should be free from slipping and provide just the right traction to the dancers. Noted that, too much slip resistance on some dance-forms can restrict movements.
If you also use the room for other purposes, ask your contractor to provide you with a rollable solution to the floor. Do not use individual mats; they have an inferior shelf life and can slip easily. You can use rubber or vinyl mats that match the dimension of the floor. A few classical dance forms can also depend on large carpeted setups, but they are expensive to source and manage.
Make sure they look presentable, as they are not just about the ground. With the use of mirrors — they dominate the majority of the dancer’s vision.
Dancing Room Mirrors:
The mirror makes up one of the most critical parts of the studio space. They help guide the dance class and the instructor at all times. Opt for mirrors that contain clear reflection. Such a mirror is free of tints and designs.
It could be expensive to find mirrors that fit the wall’s length, so you will have to use multiple cuts. Cut them along the length and not the width, which means you do not want any cut-disturbances on the horizontal plane.
It’s best if the mirror starts from the floor and extends to the height of the roof. If you have a lofty ceiling, you can keep the mirrors as tall as seven feet. They must be at least a quarter-inch thick to ensure stability and durability. Invest in a one-inch thick mirror If you hold a better budget.
Do not skimp on the budget for mirrors. Acrylic or plastic mirrors lose shine in a few months and distort the image. This disturbance will make your studio look dull and make it harder to focus on the choreography.
A multi-purpose room should accommodate a mirror that allows the dance class and suits the home decor. You can use a curtain to cover the mirror when not in use.
Using Furniture Right:
The other factor in making a perfect room is the furniture. Yes, dance studios need minimal furniture, so be mindful of necessity. Ensure you seek multi-purpose furniture when you surf the catalogue of a home decor store.
Multi-purpose means the furniture incorporated into your dance class. For example, some courses use the back of a chair as a barre. Buy a strong and sturdy chain, and save the cost of barre handles.
Similarly, floor cushions are a perfect investment for the studio. These can be stacked in a corner, away from the mirrors, when the class re-starts.
If you are looking to use the dance classroom for another purpose, make sure your furniture folds or holds into one space. For example, a studio that is an office space in the day must have desks and chairs that fold into the wall like a murphy bed.
Sound:
Lastly, the elements that keep the magic alive. Sound. A phone speaker can do just as well, but that is highly unprofessional. Ensure you have at least two or three speakers based on the size of the room. Place them at different ends of the dance class for even sound. All this connected to a sound-board or mixer.
With great sounds, the need for soundproofing arises. Proofing is not just to avoid leaks outside the room, but to eliminate reverberation and echo inside. Using sounds-panels or curtains from a home decor store can help you tone down this issue.
If your classes are on the upper floor of a building, you will also need to add a foam layer below the floor to avoid tapping and jumping sounds during the dance class.
If you are ever in doubt about the right kind of studio, then using a service like HomeLane is the perfect option. They are experts in the field of home decor and design. They provide the ideal setups for all needs, at the most affordable of cots.
