The Great DanceFlurry Floor Project

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2011 Flurry Festival photos by Lawrence White

It'll feel like dancing on air!

Help us get this exciting project 'ON' the ground as quickly as possible!

Make a tax-deductible donation to the Great DanceFlurry Floor Project

Spread the word to your dancer friends.

Dancing at its best makes you feel light as air, almost like dancing on a cloud. But this feeling requires a ‘responsive’ floor. Currently, most of the dance floors at the annual Flurry Festival consist of tile on concrete, hardly a resilient surface.

Flurry Festival photo by Lawrence White.

For many years, Flurry dancers have asked us to improve the quality of the dance floors at the festival. To respond to this request, the DanceFlurry Organization (DFO) has initiated the Great DanceFlurry Floor Project. (The DFO is the non-profit organization that sponsors the festival, as distinct from the Flurry committee that actually runs the event. )

Installing ‘responsive’ sprung flooring on top of concrete floors will significantly improve the quality of the dance experience (putting more bounce in dancers' steps) and reduce the risk of injury to dancers’ feet, knees, hips and backs.

Underside of 5' by 5' protoype dance floor panel showing 1/2" foam pads
on perimeter connecting boards and center 'sleeper' boards.
The foam pads give ‘springiness’ and physical isolation from the floor.
photo by Don Bell

We have been working with professional dance floor designer, Andrew Pate. He has designed a 'springy' and portable dance floor system for the Flurry Festival.

(These panels differ significantly from the rented panels we have used for years because they have foam pads underneath that give a spring-like effect. Each panel is 5' by 5' and designed to interlock with adjacent panels.)

At this year's Flurry, a 4-panel demo floor will be on display in Room D for you to try out. Stop by anytime!

Project Goal: Our goal is to install a full set of floor panels on the dance floor in the large contra hall (Room D) at the Saratoga City Center within 5 years. Of course, if fundraising goes well, the goal could be achieved within a few years.

Fundraising Kickoff: Our fundraising campaign for the Great DanceFlurry Floor Project starts in February 2012. The ultimate goal is to raise $60,000 to cover the cost of purchasing and maintaining floor panels for Room D. As our fundraising timeline is 3-5 years, don’t expect the floor to appear in room D next year.

Our First Milestone: We aim to quickly raise $5,000 to purchase enough panels to test the prototype design in small dance spaces in the Capital District. What we learn from these ‘test’ panels will allow us to fine-tune the remaining panels.

Donations Towards the Purchase of Floor Panels:
$200 buys one panel, $100 - 1/2 panel, $50 - 1/4 panel, $25 - 1/8 panel. It will take 304 panels to cover the whole floor.

Donor Acknowledgement Honor Board: the Great DanceFlurry Floor Honor Board in Room D will recognize donors who have helped make the sprung floor dream come true. For a donation of $50 or more, we will place your name, your family name or the name of a special person you wish to honor on the board.

Early Bird Donor Reward: The first 25 people to donate $200 or more towards a full floor panel will receive a Great DanceFlurry Floor Project T-shirt with the message: "It'll feel like dancing on a cloud" (See photo).

Inquiries: Direct all inquiries to Don Bell, Vice-President, DanceFlurry Organization, danceinfo@danceflurry.org

Together we can do this! Many small steps ~ one big leap upward.

Donate Now!

The Flurry Festival is a traditional dance and music festival now in its 25^th year. It attracts more than 5000 attendees. The Festival sponsor, the DanceFlurry Organization (DFO), is a 501© (3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.

DanceFlurry Organization

connecting/inspiring through traditional music and dance