Company details for:

Harlequin Floors (British Harlequin plc)

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Festival House,
Chapman Way,
Tunbridge Wells,
Kent,
TN2 3EF,
United Kingdom

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Products

Vinyl Floors

Vinyl Floors

Harlequin’s range of vinyl floors can be laid on any hard, smooth sub-floor, used alone or as a dance surface on a sprung dance floor.

Harlequin’s event and display floors are the industry choice for TV and film production, concerts and tours, product launches, fashion shows, window displays, and exhibitions.
Sprung Dance Floors

Sprung Dance Floors

Harlequin has led the way in developing and evolving modern sprung dance floors and has been involved with extensive research into reducing dancer injury.

Harlequin’s wide range of sprung wooden dance floors means that whether you are looking for a permanent or portable sprung wood floor for dance, theatre, events, or TV and film, we have a world-class sprung dance floor that is perfect for you. Used by leading performers and the world’s most prestigious dance and performing arts companies, each of Harlequin’s floors is different.
Floors

Floors

Harlequin are leading performance and dance floor suppliers for dance and performing arts organisations worldwide. Our floors are designed with dancers in mind, seeking to minimise injury whilst ensuring optimal performance, no matter the application.

Harlequin sprung dance floors use cutting-edge technology to create advanced surfaces which are shock absorbent and enhance movement. The Harlequin range of vinyl dance floors are available in unique finishes suitable for a variety of purposes and can be used in conjunction with sprung floor products.

You can also learn more about professional event and display flooring for fashion shows, concerts, exhibitions, product launches, and window displays.
Stage Building & Theatre Flooring

Stage Building & Theatre Flooring

Harlequin’s expert stage building and theatre flooring teams work alongside architects and stage consultants to design, build, and install performance spaces.

Backed by an engineering team and independent research, Harlequin has over 40 years’ experience building stages and theatre floors for the performing arts, combining traditional stage floor construction skills using natural materials with advances in engineered flooring products and components to meet the most demanding specifications.

Each venue is different − Harlequin’s bespoke stage building and theatre flooring service will provide a solution tailored to your needs.
Harlequin BLOC Stage System

Harlequin BLOC Stage System

A new concept in stage construction designed to enable contemporary performance spaces to easily accommodate multiple artistic disciplines, Harlequin BLOC is a high-quality flexible modular stage floor system that allows custom sizing and shaping for all technical requirements.

Premium-grade composite panels are manufactured off-site and then fixed to the stage structure, radically reducing the time required on-site compared to traditional stage building. The bespoke stage deck panels are prefabricated from CAD plans using the latest CNC technology, which enables highly accurate machining of panels to create a flexible modular system with custom features such as traps and technical access points.

The stage construction process can then be finished with any Harlequin performance surface to fit the needs of the venue.

Harlequin BLOC has recently been installed in The State Opera of Prague, one of the three main opera houses in the Czech capital.

In the operational building, two large rooms were equipped as rehearsal spaces: a hall in the basement for theatre and a light, airy room on the first floor for the choir. Having a need for heavy equipment such as large podiums, Harlequin BLOC was the heavy-duty solution to accommodate all uses.

A Harlequin BLOC Specification Sheet and Harlequin BLOC Technical Summary can be found in our ‘downloads’ section.
Harlequin Liberty Switch

Harlequin Liberty Switch

Winner − JTSE Innovation Award
Journées Techniques du Spectacles et de l'Évenement 2023, Paris

Winner − ABTT Engineering Product of the Year
ABTT Theatre Show 2023, London

Winner − DTHG Technology Product Award
Showtech 2023, Berlin

Winner − LDI Best Debuting Product Award
LDI 2022, Las Vegas

Harlequin Liberty Switch® is a revolutionary award-winning professional multi-use flooring system that transforms between a sprung dance floor and a rigid theatre floor at the touch of a button. It is designed for venues that regularly host both dance and theatrical performances, requiring both a sprung and a rigid floor in the same performance or rehearsal space.
Stage Building & Refurbishment

Stage Building & Refurbishment

Harlequin’s stage building teams work alongside architects and stage consultants to design, build, and install stages that are durable, easy to maintain, and flexible enough to accommodate dip traps, orchestra pit fillers, and ballet wagons.

Backed by an engineering team and independent research, Harlequin brings over 40 years of experience specializing in building stages and floors for the performing arts, combining traditional stage floor construction skills using natural materials with advances in engineered flooring products and components to meet the most demanding stage specifications.

As providers of stage construction services worldwide, Harlequin understands that customers may require specialist help and advice in all areas of stage building or conservation. From building bespoke stage sets for plays, events, or performances to the standard stage build, the Harlequin team can assist at every step of the construction process.
Solid Hardwood Dance Floors

Solid Hardwood Dance Floors

Often chosen for its long lifespan and environmental benefits, solid hardwood is a natural material, carbon neutral, and easily recycled.

A Harlequin solid wood dance floor surface can be sanded and re-sealed multiple times over its life cycle, making it a very durable dance surface and easy to maintain. A solid wooden dance floor not only looks stunning but also offers the right level of traction, surface deflection, and slip resistance for a dancer to feel completely at one with the floor.

To provide optimum shock absorption and safeguard joints, limbs, and muscles during lifts and jumps, a Harlequin solid wood dance floor surface must be installed over one of our Harlequin sprung floors: Harlequin WoodSpring, Harlequin Activity, Harlequin Liberty, or Harlequin Flexity. The sprung floor system you need will depend on the construction levels and subfloor in the building.
Dance Mirrors

Dance Mirrors

Harlequin dance mirrors are an important fixture in any dance studio, enhancing a dancer's ability to learn and improve routines and techniques. For the dancer, the mirror provides immediate visual feedback, allowing them to evaluate the height and shape of their movement and the line of their bodies.

Our mirrors enable dancers to see themselves as the audience will see them and are an important tool for technique training. Dance studio mirrors also benefit the dance teacher by offering greater visibility of their class and students from more angles.

For smaller studios, mirrors can create the impression of a larger and lighter area by adding greater depth to the dance space.
Ballet Barres & Brackets

Ballet Barres & Brackets

Whether you choose Harlequin portable freestanding ballet barres or permanent wall-mounted ballet barres, you will find they are almost a prerequisite for the dancer. Barre exercises focus on flexibility, strength, balance, and precision. They also add a finishing touch to a dance studio or rehearsal space. Choose from single, double, square, or oval, with custom bracket designs available to order.
Home Dance Studio Equipment

Home Dance Studio Equipment

Harlequin’s home dance studio equipment range allows you to practice in the comfort of your own home as you aspire to reach your dancing dreams. It has been designed with a dancer’s safety and comfort in mind.

It is well known that home practice improves technique and builds confidence and training on the correct floor dramatically cuts the risk of injury.
Harlequin Dance Practice Mat & Travel Bag

Harlequin Dance Practice Mat & Travel Bag

The Harlequin Dance Practice Mat and Travel Bag is designed for use by dancers on the go when training at the studio is not possible. We offer a professional dance floor alternative that can be laid upon hard flooring to simulate the effect of dancing on vinyl flooring without the added cost of installing a whole unit.

Our dance practice mat is manufactured from our very own Harlequin Cascade, a popular vinyl floor choice for famed dance institutions across the world. This includes companies such as The Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet, The Bolshoi Ballet, English National Ballet, Riverdance, Sydney Dance Company, Royal Academy of Dance, Scottish Ballet, Glyndebourne Opera House, Sadler’s Wells, Hong Kong Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Trinity Laban Conservatoire, and many more.

Perfect for use to practice different types of dance, there is no limit to how you can use the home practice mat. We recommend using Harlequin Cascade for a variety of dances, including ballet, contemporary, modern, and many more. The vinyl practice mat provides ultimate grip and support to ensure that the body remains protected from impact while training.
Cleaning & Maintenance

Cleaning & Maintenance

The recommended maintenance instructions must be followed to ensure that your Harlequin floor retains its appearance and performance characteristics. Failure to do so may invalidate the guarantee. If in doubt, please contact your Harlequin Technical Advisor on 01892 514888.
Harlequin Home Studio Kits

Harlequin Home Studio Kits

It is well known that home practice improves technique and builds confidence, while training on the correct floor dramatically cuts the risk of injury.

Harlequin Home Studio Kits have been designed with a dancer's safety and comfort in mind. All kits include Harlequin Liberty sprung floor panels, which effortlessly lock together and feature dual density shock dampening elastomer pads, and a choice of Harlequin Cascade or Harlequin Reversible performance vinyl to meet your specific dance needs.

Ideal for practicing various types of dance, these mats can accommodate a wider range of movements that are produced during dances such as ballet, contemporary, breakdancing, and freestyle.
Harlequin Floor Storage Carts

Harlequin Floor Storage Carts

If you need to transport or store your Harlequin Liberty sprung floor panels or your Harlequin vinyl floor, then we offer storage carts to meet your needs.

If you're unsure as to which storage cart is most suitable for you, then please feel free to contact us.
Harlequin Vinyl Floor Storage Bags

Harlequin Vinyl Floor Storage Bags

Harlequin vinyl floor storage bags are recommended for the protection of small, lightweight rolls of flooring, such as vinyl stage floors, that you wish to store or easily transport.

Ideal for touring, our vinyl floor storage bags are made from durable polyester fabric with waterproof backing and come complete with heavy-duty nylon webbing cradle straps for portability.

They are available in two sizes:

Short - for 1.5m wide rolls of Harlequin vinyl flooring
Long - for 2m wide rolls of Harlequin vinyl flooring

For larger, heavier rolls of flooring, we recommend the use of Harlequin vinyl roll carts.

You can view and purchase the above online. However, if you're unsure as to which product is most suitable for you, then please feel free to contact us.***
Portable Dance Floor Packs for Education

Portable Dance Floor Packs for Education

The right floor is essential for your students, not only to achieve their best performances but also for their safety.

Without a purpose-designed dance floor, there is a higher risk to health through injury from falling or muscle strain. Ordinary wooden floors or sports floors are too slippery for safety and too hard or unyielding for most dance disciplines. Harlequin's dance floor technology provides dance students with vinyl and sprung/wood dance floors that offer the right degree of 'traction' and controlled 'spring'.

Harlequin Portable Dance Floor Packs for Education are ideal if there's no dedicated space for dance or performing arts, for example, if activities take place in a gym or dining hall. Four options are available, depending upon your needs.
Harlequin Vinyl Dance Floor Tape

Harlequin Vinyl Dance Floor Tape

Harlequin offers a range of vinyl performance floor tapes including:

Harlequin Super Clear Floor Tape: Single-sided professional super clear Polyethylene floor tape designed for joining or taping down a Harlequin vinyl performance floor. Recommended for use with Harlequin vinyl floors.

Harlequin High Performance Clear Tape: Harlequin High Performance clear tape is a polyethylene tape with exceptional clarity once applied. It has a thin, low-profile design and a matte, non-reflective surface, making the tape barely visible in use. It is recommended for use on vinyl floors with a matte finish, including Harlequin Reversible and Harlequin Reversible Pro.

Harlequin Hi-Shine Black Floor Tape: Shiny black PVC floor tape, suitable for use with a black Harlequin Hi-Shine vinyl floor.

Harlequin Black PVC Floor Tape: Single-sided professional black PVC floor tape designed for joining or taping down a Harlequin vinyl performance floor.

Harlequin Gaffer Floor Tape: Professional cloth gaffer dance floor tape, available in a range of colors to match your Harlequin vinyl dance floor.

Harlequin Double-Sided Floor Tape: NEC approved high tack/low tack double-sided floor tape for use when taping the underside of a Harlequin vinyl performance floor to a sub-floor.

You can view and purchase the above online at the Harlequin web shop. However, if you're unsure as to which tape is most suitable for you, please feel free to contact us.
Retro-Fit Floor-Mounted Ballet Barres

Retro-Fit Floor-Mounted Ballet Barres

Harlequin retro-fit floor-mounted brackets can be mounted onto an existing floor, provided that it is not sprung. They are constructed from high-grade steel with a powder-coated finish.

The base plate is fitted with a cover plate to hide floor fittings and provide a streamlined look to your studio (not suitable for sprung floors).

Harlequin retro-fitted floor-mounted brackets can be fitted by Harlequin's expert technical team or purchased for self-installation. The brackets are available in black from stock and a range of colours to order.

Height - floor to the center of upper barre: 1055mm
Colour - black (special order colors available)
Weight - single: 8kg / double: 10kg
Pine barre available in 1.5m length (not included)
Beech barre available in 1.5m and 2.3m lengths (not included)
Requires M10 fixings
Freestanding Ballet Barres

Freestanding Ballet Barres

Our professional studio quality freestanding and portable ballet barres are lightweight yet very stable. Constructed from anodised aluminium with a smooth silver finish, they are available with your choice of aluminium or beech barre.
Tape & Accessories

Tape & Accessories

Harlequin offers a range of accessories to complement your Harlequin floor. If you have any questions, then feel free to contact us.
Caring for Your Harlequin Vinyl Floor

Caring for Your Harlequin Vinyl Floor

Floor Care Best Practice

Where possible, outdoor shoes should be removed (or overshoes put on) before walking on the vinyl dance floor. For situations where this is impractical, the first line of defense is to have effective barrier mats at the entrance to the room. An effective matting will significantly reduce the amount of wet and dry soiling being carried on the underside of footwear. The length of the matting should be at least 2 to 3 footfalls, and it should be regularly vacuumed and cleaned. Limiting foot-borne contamination will make your daily maintenance regime considerably easier.

Do not use dust control mops that are impregnated with oils. Avoid contact with sharp edges or points. Ensure that any furniture placed on the floor has feet that will not damage the floor. Take care when moving heavy objects such as stage equipment; dragging anything with sharp edges can scratch the floor. The use of spreader boards is recommended.

Do not walk on the floor in stiletto heels, as these will damage the floor. Harlequin recommends the use of dance shoes with non-marking soles. Marks made by other shoes can be difficult to remove. Tap dancing in shoes with loose screws will damage any floor; inspect tap shoes carefully before use. Note that tap dancing is not recommended on some Harlequin floors; if you are unsure, please see our website or contact us for more details.
Dance Floors for Hire

Dance Floors for Hire

If you need to hire a sprung floor for a special event, touring purposes, a television show, or for a dancer to rehearse on, please contact our team. Full terms and conditions, plus installation instructions, can be downloaded from the link here.

Which Dance Floors Can I Hire?

At Harlequin, we offer a variety of sprung floors suitable for both permanent and temporary installation. Unfortunately, Harlequin WoodSpring and Harlequin Activity floors are permanent fixtures, so we are unable to hire out these particular products.

Our dance floors for hire include Harlequin Liberty sprung floor panels and Harlequin Liberty HD, both of which must be used in conjunction with an appropriate Harlequin vinyl floor.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently, our performance and dance floor hire options only include sprung floor products. If you are considering renting a sprung dance floor, please be aware that a Harlequin vinyl floor may need to be purchased.
Printed Vinyl Flooring

Printed Vinyl Flooring

Have you ever thought of having a totally unique floor for your production, event, or display?

Whether you choose your company logo or have a particular design in mind, Harlequin’s printing service will add an exciting new dimension to your Harlequin floor. Our custom printed vinyl performance floors are ideal for event and display flooring. Make your stage, dance floor, or event floor stand out by adding a little something extra.

A printed finish is available on Harlequin Cascade, Harlequin Clarity, Harlequin Reversible, or Harlequin Reversible Pro vinyl floors. You can have a completely bespoke design or select one of our standard patterns or images.
Harlequin Clarity is specifically designed for reverse printing. The printed design is on the underside of the floor and is protected from wear and damage.
Harlequin Studio

Harlequin Studio

Harlequin Studio is a hardwearing, slip-resistant, vinyl performance floor that features a lightweight closed-cell foam backing to provide protection against hard sub-floors, it is ideal as a multi-purpose dance or stage floor.

Harlequin Studio is suitable for ballet, contemporary and modern dance. It is also used for aerobics, hip-hop, jazz and street dance.

About us

Established in the UK over 45 years ago, Harlequin is the performance floor of choice for the world’s most prestigious dance and performing arts companies, theatres, schools, production companies and global events.

Harlequin’s reputation is founded upon the design, manufacture and supply of a range of high quality portable and permanent sprung and vinyl performance floors specified by the world’s leading venues - from the Royal Opera House to the New York City Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet to the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Harlequin has developed its own portable and permanent sprung floor systems which have been fully tested in accordance with BS EN 14904:2006 to ensure they help to minimise injury risk to dancers. Harlequin Liberty sprung floor panels are available in two versions for either permanent or portable installation and provide the ideal sprung floor for a dance studio, rehearsal room or theatre stage. The portable panels are intended for touring companies or venues that occasionally need a sprung floor. Harlequin also offers a hire service - within minutes, a hard subfloor can be turned into a temporary floating sprung floor suitable for all types of dance from classical ballet to street, jazz and tap
Harlequin also offers a range of floors suitable for exhibition and display use, including Harlequin Hi-Shine, a unique glossy floor designed to give a breathtaking 'wet-look' finish to catwalks, product launches, award ceremonies, TV sets and much more.

Harlequin is the global leader in its field with offices in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific.

Harlequin’s head-office is based in the UK but other branches are located in the USA, Europe, Australia and Hong Kong.
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