Dance Space

[Gadget]

With all the negative comments on the lack of space at the 10th anniversary party, I thought that it would make sense if there was a simple formula to give a rough guide as to the maximum number of dancers you should cater for at a venue.
Variables:
- Average space a couple takes up when dancing [X]
- Over all dance floor space (excluding seating) [Y]
- Percentage of non-dancers [Z]

It should be a simple matter of dividing the floor space [Y] by the dance space [X] and increasing this number by the non-dancers [Z]

Venues should be able to supply a dance floor area. So...
How much space do you need to dance?
What percentage of the attendees would be sitting out at any one time?

My guestimate would be an average of about 2m diamiter space (with an extra 0.5m for comfort) ie 3-7m, say 5m, squared area.
and 5-10% audience.

[Basil Brush (Forum Plant)]

AWA' AN BILE YER HEED GADGET!

[TheTramp]

I know that Franco (who runs Hipsters and the Camber and Bognor events) already has this done. I could ask around and possibly get an idea of what they work out if anyone is interested.

On an entirely different matter, Mr Brush, the caps lock key is on the left hand side of the keyboard. Yours appears to be stuck in the 'on' position. I suggest pressing it firmly might alleviate the situation.

Steve

[Gus]

Well ... if it hepls ... Nantwich Civic hall dancefloor is 4000sq ft. It can take 150 comfortably and about 190 'closely' .... anyone with a decent slide rule and conversion table should be able to work it back from there.

[David Franklin]

Originally posted by Gus
Well ... if it hepls ... Nantwich Civic hall dancefloor is 4000sq ft. It can take 150 comfortably and about 190 'closely' .... anyone with a decent slide rule and conversion table should be able to work it back from there.

Works out at a little over 2 square metres for 'closely' and nearer 3 square metres for 'comfortable'.

I did speak to Franco about this exact topic (part of planning my wedding!) - as I recall, he reckoned 2m^2 as comfortable and 1.5m^2 as "closely". But I suspect this is based on events like Camber where the proportion of people not dancing is going to be a lot higher, so it works out fairly similar.

Also, these calculations only really make sense for fairly large halls/numbers of people. The "dance area" in my lounge is roughly 20' x 12' (>20m^2), and it's not enough for 1 couple to dance comfortably.

Also, you can never trust the owners of the venue. Went to view one hotel after being told the floor was "big enough for 150 people". It was roughly 16' square! They tried to persuade me, but as I told them, it wasn't big enough for our two person dance routine.

Dave

[TheTramp]

Also, you can never trust the owners of the venue. Went to view one hotel after being told the floor was "big enough for 150 people". It was roughly 16' square!

I imagine that they considered dancing to be that thing where people just stand on the spot and move their heads slightly, usually to Abba.

Steve

[Dreadful Scathe]

mind you - theres some venues that insist that their tiny bit of non-carpeted area is a 'dance floor' - hmm what dancing do they do one wonders ?

[TheTramp]

You been giving out lessons again then Nick???



Steve

[DavidB]

So what is the best way of squeezing more people on the floor.

The maximum amount of space you need to dance is a circle with a diameter of 2m. If everybody danced within their own circle, they should never hit anyone else.

If you have a floor 10m by 10m, you can fit 5 couples down each side, or 25 couples in total. However you can pack the circles a bit closer together without overlapping, and could get 6 couples down one side. So you could get 30 couples in 100 square metres, or 3.3 square metres per couple, with no chance of hitting each other.

Now when you dance, you don't use all the space in your 2m circle at the same time. The most you might use is a slot 2 m long by 1 m wide (ie 2 square metres). Unless you do West Coast Swing, you also need space to move into. So say 2.5 square metres per couple, and you can still dance big, but you run the chance of occasionally getting hit. (40 couples on the floor)

Less than 2.5 square metres, and something has to give.
- You can shorten the connection to make the circle smaller. A 1.5 m circle and you can get almost 50 couples on the floor without bumping, or 55 with.
- You can take the WCS idea of dancing in a slot - you can still move a lot, but the man has to be better at controlling the lady's direction (A 2m by 1m slot and you get 50 couples on the 10 by 10 m floor.)
- Or do both, and you get 65 couples on the floor.

So it might be better to suggest to people to dance in a slot as the floor gets busier, and make the most of the available room.

(Of course as soon as you get idiots moving around the floor, or doing aerials and drops, all this goes out of the window.)

David

[TheTramp]

Of course, there are other factors to take into account David....

I think that you and I took up more than 2 sq metres just stood still. That was before we started dancing!!

Steve

[Bill]

Originally posted by DavidB

- You can take the WCS idea of dancing in a slot - you can still move a lot, but the man has to be better at controlling the lady's direction (A 2m by 1m slot and you get 50 couples on the 10 by 10 m floor.)
- Or do both, and you get 65 couples on the floor.


(Of course as soon as you get idiots moving around the floor, or doing aerials and drops, all this goes out of the window.)

David

Ehmmmmm...........I sometimes move around the floor ...but only when the room is there..........honest !!!!!!!!

But agree with the WCS comment and you hit the nail on the head when you say that ' the man has to be better at controlling the lady's direction'. Many men can't or don't which is why so many poor women end up being thrown about and injure themselves ( or rather being injured!).

I don't know how much space we need - depends on size doesn't it ? But then there are some smaller lads who take up a lot of room and some taller/bigger guys who need a whole floor to themselves :reallymad

[DavidB]

Originally posted by Bill
I sometimes move around the floor ...but only when the room is there

Sorry - I meant moving around the floor by going right through another couple's space. I was thinking more of Fulham than Scotland when I wrote that.

Many men can't or don't {control the lady's direction}

Many men don't, but they can when they want - they do it all the time in a class. Ceroc has always been taught in a slot. It only becomes circular in freestyle.

I only started working out the numbers because I got bored in a meeting.

David