Re: [Callers] Sticky floors
We often use cornmeal on our floors to increase slide. Unfortunately the floor is not usually clean when we apply to cornmeal and some dancers have complained of "build up" on the soles of their suede shoes (this doesn not seem to be a problem with dance sneakers with hard plastic soles. Even with the "build up" I usually have no trouble sliding and using a wire brush and scraper takes the "build up" off the suede soles. We use a "Parmesan cheese shaker" with adjustable holes in the top, to apply the cornmeal. Works great and we try to only sprinkle a little at a time and then a second time if we need to. Donna Hunt Web Site: donnahuntcaller.com Email: dhuntdan...@aol.com -Original Message- From: James Saxe via Callers To: callers Sent: Tue, Jul 21, 2015 5:50 pm Subject: Re: [Callers] Sticky floors In my recent message about negatives of applying wax to a slow floor, I wrote: > ... > Note also that wax, unlike, say, corn meal, will not easily be > removed by sweeping at the end of the evening. As it happens, while looking for something else, I just came across a 2013 thread on the trad-dance-callers list where someone mentioned corn meal and another list member replied with a cautionary tale about a local dance series that ... > ... had to temporary relocate, and settled in a church basement which had a tile floor. The caller sprinkled corn meal over the floor in hopes of improving it since it had been waxed. > As the evening progressed, the crowded unairconditioned hall became quite hot & humid and the cornmeal grains absorbed the moisture, softening and sticking to the floor. > It couldn't be swept off after the dance. It had to be laboriously *scraped* off by the custodian on hands & knees. > > The dance was evicted from the church, never allowed to return. I'm not sure why the experience reported here differs from what I've seen with corn meal. Was it the humidity? Was it something about the underlying floor or about what had been done to it before the corn meal was added. (For example, had it not been well cleaned after an event the previous evening where people had dropped food and spilled sugary drinks?) Was it something about the kind of corn meal? Was it really corn starch? BUt I thought I should pass along the report. --Jim ___ Callers mailing list Callers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
yep, that was my point I guess.. We as dancers look at these big wooden floors as great dance venues but in fact the intended use is completely different! b > From: donper...@gmail.com > Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2015 08:01:48 -0400 > Subject: Re: [Callers] sticky floors > To: callb...@hotmail.com > CC: callers@lists.sharedweight.net > > On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 4:21 PM, Bill Olson via Callers > wrote: > > They are often very proprietorial about their floors, > > especially schools! The sad thing is a lot of venues think a "shiny floor" > > is the best floor. > > For a gym floor, it's primary function is sports. For a lot of those > you want to be able to apply large horizontal forces without your feet > slipping out from under you. How much sympathy can you expect when > you say you want more slide?
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 4:21 PM, Bill Olson via Callers wrote: > They are often very proprietorial about their floors, > especially schools! The sad thing is a lot of venues think a "shiny floor" > is the best floor. For a gym floor, it's primary function is sports. For a lot of those you want to be able to apply large horizontal forces without your feet slipping out from under you. How much sympathy can you expect when you say you want more slide?
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
I must have missed the suggestion about windows. I was curious if this hall is air-conditioned. And I would think it would be useful to know the condition of the floor before the dance begins. I'm thinking the only real solution is increasing the capacity of the HVAC system to remove humidity. In the summer months opening the windows would just allow more humid air to enter the hall. T
Re: [Callers] Sticky floors
In my recent message about negatives of applying wax to a slow floor, I wrote: > ... > Note also that wax, unlike, say, corn meal, will not easily be > removed by sweeping at the end of the evening. As it happens, while looking for something else, I just came across a 2013 thread on the trad-dance-callers list where someone mentioned corn meal and another list member replied with a cautionary tale about a local dance series that ... > ... had to temporary relocate, and settled in a church basement which had a > tile floor. The caller sprinkled corn meal over the floor in hopes of > improving it since it had been waxed. > As the evening progressed, the crowded unairconditioned hall became quite hot > & humid and the cornmeal grains absorbed the moisture, softening and sticking > to the floor. > It couldn't be swept off after the dance. It had to be laboriously *scraped* > off by the custodian on hands & knees. > > The dance was evicted from the church, never allowed to return. I'm not sure why the experience reported here differs from what I've seen with corn meal. Was it the humidity? Was it something about the underlying floor or about what had been done to it before the corn meal was added. (For example, had it not been well cleaned after an event the previous evening where people had dropped food and spilled sugary drinks?) Was it something about the kind of corn meal? Was it really corn starch? BUt I thought I should pass along the report. --Jim
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
Linda, Thanks for this link what a great idea! I am sending off for a set of the lofri to see how it goes. To all..thanks for your input. While interesting, many of your ideas are really not suitable and we would NEVER put anything on the floor. We do work closely with the maintenance staff of the church and have worked with them in the past re: refinishing the floor. Presently we do not know what the actual finish is that is on the floor, if it is "dancer friendly" or not. It seems that the most problem we have is during high humidity. I agree about the windows but we only have 3 - 4 large fans and it is just not enough with out opening windows so perhaps we are just "suck" (no pun intended, well, ok maybe). And the added bonus of open windows is that is often draws passer bys in to see what we are up to. I will keep you posted as to the future outcome...luckily, here in Buffalo, heat and humidity are short lived events! Mary On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 4:38 PM, Linda Leslie via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Here is another take on what to do when the floor is less than ideal….this > from our Swing/Salsa friends. I share this only to show that some folks > think that the dancers need to make adjustments, too….I don’t have the > expertise to endorse any of the recommendations. But it does make for > interesting reading! > Linda > http://www.gottadance.org/bad_floor_dancing.shtml > > > On Jul 20, 2015, at 4:21 PM, Bill Olson via Callers < > callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Whew, If I had to cancel all the gigs I had that had sticky, or otherwise > less than optimum dance floors, I'd lose half my work! Outdoor gigs on the > grass (often sloping or uneven or with holes) or on weddings on rented > "dance floors", indoor school (or other) gigs on super sticky polyurethane > gym floors sometimes wood on cement, church hall or other "local venue" > dances on linoleum/concrete floors, or indoor-outdoor carpet, etc etc etc.. > In these cases, (and I do so many of them I don't even think about it much > any more,) I just have to adjust the dancing to the venue. true, these > dances are mostly family/community type affairs, so they don't last that > long, run at a slower pace and the choreography isn't that difficult! > > I agree that it's best not to "mess with someone's floor" certainly not > without permission!! They are often very proprietorial about their floors, > especially schools! The sad thing is a lot of venues think a "shiny floor" > is the best floor.. the finish the heck out of them with shiny stuff > (polyurethane normally) and this is almost always sticky when it's humid. > It also comes off when danced on and covers everything with white power > (nice having it stuck in your nose too!).. But unless we OWN the venues, > and that is happening in some places, (Guiding Star Grange, Capitol City > Grange for two) all we can do is try to educate the venue owners. This is a > long process for sure.. > > Blah blah, what am I saying here?? I guess I am saying, "it ain't that > easy" and there isn't one solution that fits all the possible situations. > My way of dealing as a dancer is to "take it easy" (less twirls and > flourishes maybe) or in extreme cases (and this is bad for sure) to stay > away.. and as a programmer, more forgiving choreography.. > > Finally, there has been a lot written about finish on dance floors, I'm > sure someone will point us all to the correct archive again. Stan Fowler > did a lot of work on this for Glen Echo and it's written down somewhere.. > Others have done work at the above mentioned venues. BUT this doesn't help > us at a one night stand or at a venue where everything else might be just > fine (acoustics, stage, parking, rent) but where the owners have their own > idea about the floor.. I will be interested to see what more people have to > say about this! > > bill > > -- > Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2015 15:28:49 -0400 > To: lynz...@yahoo.com > CC: jmitchell...@gmail.com; callers@lists.sharedweight.net > Subject: Re: [Callers] sticky floors > From: callers@lists.sharedweight.net > > > I don't think you should *ever* “put up with” a super-sticky floor. It > damages dancers' knees and ankles. If the floor is too sticky to dance on, > and the venue isn't allowing any options for fixing it, cancel the dance. > > On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 3:21 PM, Lindsey Dono via Callers < > callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Thoughts from the organizational perspective: > > Be very, very careful about adding anything to any floor you don'
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
Our main venue is air-conditioned and we also have large fans, but we still get really hot and some dancers open the windows, thinking it will help. It doesn't. One of our dancers suggested that keeping the windows closed would cut down on in door humidity and prevent the stickiness. It seems to have worked. Since the original question was about stickiness during humid weather, it seems that moisture is the culprit there as well. Adding any other ingredients (corn based or otherwise) to the moisture sounds like a potential mess. -Original Message- From: Mary Collins via Callers Sent: Jul 20, 2015 2:36 PM To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net Subject: [Callers] sticky floors Has anyone experienced issues with their wooden dance floors becoming sticky during humid weather? If so, what if anything has been done to alleviate the problem?thanks. Mary C. - Buffalo-- “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown
Re: [Callers] Sticky floors
This link to thedancesocks.com will not fix the problem, but can help with it. Perhaps flyers can be placed on the tables at halls with known problems. http://www.thedancesocks.com Rich Sbardella Stafford Springs, CT On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 7:29 PM, James Saxe via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > A couple people have mentioned wax as a possible remediation > for sticky floors. There are several potential problems with > wax: > > 1. As with any floor additive, you could get on the wrong > side of the hall owners if you use it without permission. > Note also that wax, unlike, say, corn meal, will not easily be > removed by sweeping at the end of the evening. > > 2. If you have a finished floor, and there are areas where > the finish has worn down to the bare wood, then wax can get > worked into the grain of the wood, making it difficult for > future coats of finish to adhere properly. See > > > http://www.waterlox.com/faqs/woodworking/apply-wood-finish-over-previously-finished-surfaces > > 3. When you sprinkle wax by hand, it's practically impossible > to apply it evenly to the entire floor. Having (relatively) > slippery spots next to (relatively) sticky spots can be > particularly hazardous. If dancers apply wax to their own > shoes, it can rub off onto the floor, creating local slippery > spots. (My experience with corn meal, btw, is that it tends > to get more evenly spread around floor by dancers feet than > dance wax does, though it's still hardly perfect in this > regard.) > > > I have occasionally danced on floors that were waxed and > machine buffed with good results, but note the following > contrasts with the situations described above: > > * The machine buffing spread the wax uniformly, avoiding > local slippery or sticky spots. > > * Either the floors in question were never intended to > be given given some other finish (e.g. urethane) or > the wax was applied over a coat of finish that was > never allowed to wear down to the wood. > > * The waxing was done with permission of the floor owner. > > Also, the people doing the waxing had researched brands of > floor wax that would give an appropriate level of slipperiness > for dancing without being too slippery. (Note, however, that > a puddle of spilled water on any waxed floor can be extremely > slippery.) > > --Jim > > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >
Re: [Callers] Sticky floors
A couple people have mentioned wax as a possible remediation for sticky floors. There are several potential problems with wax: 1. As with any floor additive, you could get on the wrong side of the hall owners if you use it without permission. Note also that wax, unlike, say, corn meal, will not easily be removed by sweeping at the end of the evening. 2. If you have a finished floor, and there are areas where the finish has worn down to the bare wood, then wax can get worked into the grain of the wood, making it difficult for future coats of finish to adhere properly. See http://www.waterlox.com/faqs/woodworking/apply-wood-finish-over-previously-finished-surfaces 3. When you sprinkle wax by hand, it's practically impossible to apply it evenly to the entire floor. Having (relatively) slippery spots next to (relatively) sticky spots can be particularly hazardous. If dancers apply wax to their own shoes, it can rub off onto the floor, creating local slippery spots. (My experience with corn meal, btw, is that it tends to get more evenly spread around floor by dancers feet than dance wax does, though it's still hardly perfect in this regard.) I have occasionally danced on floors that were waxed and machine buffed with good results, but note the following contrasts with the situations described above: * The machine buffing spread the wax uniformly, avoiding local slippery or sticky spots. * Either the floors in question were never intended to be given given some other finish (e.g. urethane) or the wax was applied over a coat of finish that was never allowed to wear down to the wood. * The waxing was done with permission of the floor owner. Also, the people doing the waxing had researched brands of floor wax that would give an appropriate level of slipperiness for dancing without being too slippery. (Note, however, that a puddle of spilled water on any waxed floor can be extremely slippery.) --Jim
Re: [Callers] Sticky floors
On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 6:26 PM, jean francis via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > another option is to buy shuffleboard wax (ebay or large janitorial > supplies) aka ballroom wax. This is a fine powdered wax that comes in > various "slipperiness" grades...a tiny bit of a moderate slipperiness goes > a very very long way. A container the size of a kitchen cleanser 'can' > could last an entire dance community a year. Since it is a wax, I imagine > it is good for wood floors, however the venue must be consulted and there > is some danger from exuberant use such that folks could end up > horizontal. Sprinkling it evenly around the floor and then sweeping it off > before the dance will generally leave a beneficial amount. > I'm struck by the contrast between this suggestion and the comments on the swing dance page Linda Leslie recommended ( http://www.gottadance.org/bad_floor_dancing.shtml): - *NEVER* put wax on the bottom of your shoes -- it transfers to the floor and creates dangerous, invisible, super-slippery patches for others. - If you have been dancing or practicing on a waxed floor, *NEVER* wear those shoes to a real dance place -- again, the wax will transfer first to your shoes and then to the other dance floor, creating dangerous, invisible, super-slippery patches for others. Instead, reserve one pair of shoes just for the waxed floor, and wear different shoes on all other floors. How to tell if a floor has been waxed? If your turning or pivoting movements create slightly dusty-looking swirl marks in the floor finish, or even leave a little bit of fine powder behind, it's probably wax. David > > Alternate solutions might be to offer a 'step in' tray of it, where those > who found the floor too sticky might smoosh their shoes in it briefly or a > bottle could be passed around so dancers could put a pinch in their palms > and rub it on the bottom of their dance shoes from time to time. I suspect > this works best on smooth soles (suede, leather, composite) and not so well > on 'tread' soles like athletic shoes. I carry a small plastic bottle of > this to all dance events to rub on my own shoe soles. > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >
[Callers] Sticky floors
another option is to buy shuffleboard wax (ebay or large janitorial supplies) aka ballroom wax. This is a fine powdered wax that comes in various "slipperiness" grades...a tiny bit of a moderate slipperiness goes a very very long way. A container the size of a kitchen cleanser 'can' could last an entire dance community a year. Since it is a wax, I imagine it is good for wood floors, however the venue must be consulted and there is some danger from exuberant use such that folks could end up horizontal. Sprinkling it evenly around the floor and then sweeping it off before the dance will generally leave a beneficial amount. Alternate solutions might be to offer a 'step in' tray of it, where those who found the floor too sticky might smoosh their shoes in it briefly or a bottle could be passed around so dancers could put a pinch in their palms and rub it on the bottom of their dance shoes from time to time. I suspect this works best on smooth soles (suede, leather, composite) and not so well on 'tread' soles like athletic shoes. I carry a small plastic bottle of this to all dance events to rub on my own shoe soles.
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
Andrea, Thanks, I stand corrected about talc and withdraw my earlier suggestion. I knew that scented talcum power can range from annoying.to very disruptive, but did not realize the unscented talc itself was a hazard. --Jerome Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com "There's no point in being unhappy about things you can't change, and no point being unhappy about things you can." On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 2:23 PM, Andrea Nettleton wrote: > Talc is a mineral, in character like asbestos. Not only is it a hazard > for anyone with breathing problems, it's a problem for everyone. Please, > do not talc the floor! > Andrea > > Sent from my iOnlypretendtomultitask > > On Jul 20, 2015, at 3:05 PM, Jerome Grisanti via Callers < > callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > If you can find UNscented talc (and good luck with that!), try it in a > small area to see if it works on your floor. > > Do NOT use scented baby power -- the cure would be worse than the disease. > > --Jerome > > Jerome Grisanti > 660-528-0858 > http://www.jeromegrisanti.com > > "There's no point in being unhappy about things you can't change, and no > point being unhappy about things you can." > > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
Here is another take on what to do when the floor is less than ideal….this from our Swing/Salsa friends. I share this only to show that some folks think that the dancers need to make adjustments, too….I don’t have the expertise to endorse any of the recommendations. But it does make for interesting reading! Linda http://www.gottadance.org/bad_floor_dancing.shtml On Jul 20, 2015, at 4:21 PM, Bill Olson via Callers wrote: > Whew, If I had to cancel all the gigs I had that had sticky, or otherwise > less than optimum dance floors, I'd lose half my work! Outdoor gigs on the > grass (often sloping or uneven or with holes) or on weddings on rented "dance > floors", indoor school (or other) gigs on super sticky polyurethane gym > floors sometimes wood on cement, church hall or other "local venue" dances on > linoleum/concrete floors, or indoor-outdoor carpet, etc etc etc.. In these > cases, (and I do so many of them I don't even think about it much any more,) > I just have to adjust the dancing to the venue. true, these dances are mostly > family/community type affairs, so they don't last that long, run at a slower > pace and the choreography isn't that difficult! > > I agree that it's best not to "mess with someone's floor" certainly not > without permission!! They are often very proprietorial about their floors, > especially schools! The sad thing is a lot of venues think a "shiny floor" is > the best floor.. the finish the heck out of them with shiny stuff > (polyurethane normally) and this is almost always sticky when it's humid. It > also comes off when danced on and covers everything with white power (nice > having it stuck in your nose too!).. But unless we OWN the venues, and that > is happening in some places, (Guiding Star Grange, Capitol City Grange for > two) all we can do is try to educate the venue owners. This is a long process > for sure.. > > Blah blah, what am I saying here?? I guess I am saying, "it ain't that easy" > and there isn't one solution that fits all the possible situations. My way of > dealing as a dancer is to "take it easy" (less twirls and flourishes maybe) > or in extreme cases (and this is bad for sure) to stay away.. and as a > programmer, more forgiving choreography.. > > Finally, there has been a lot written about finish on dance floors, I'm sure > someone will point us all to the correct archive again. Stan Fowler did a lot > of work on this for Glen Echo and it's written down somewhere.. Others have > done work at the above mentioned venues. BUT this doesn't help us at a one > night stand or at a venue where everything else might be just fine > (acoustics, stage, parking, rent) but where the owners have their own idea > about the floor.. I will be interested to see what more people have to say > about this! > > bill > > Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2015 15:28:49 -0400 > To: lynz...@yahoo.com > CC: jmitchell...@gmail.com; callers@lists.sharedweight.net > Subject: Re: [Callers] sticky floors > From: callers@lists.sharedweight.net > > I don't think you should *ever* “put up with” a super-sticky floor. It > damages dancers' knees and ankles. If the floor is too sticky to dance on, > and the venue isn't allowing any options for fixing it, cancel the dance. > > On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 3:21 PM, Lindsey Dono via Callers > wrote: > Thoughts from the organizational perspective: > > Be very, very careful about adding anything to any floor you don't own! A > number of dances have lost their venues over issues such as this. Question: > is this floor chronically sticky, or newly so? My generic plan of action > would go something along these lines: > > 1. Put up with the sticky floor for the one evening (question for all: What > are good dances for a slow floor? I'm assuming heys and whole-set promenades > would work better than Petronella/Rory O'More figures). If you're at the hall > early enough, you can try mopping particularly awful spots with JUST water. > Unless you own the hall or have checked in with the owners in advance, > probably best to avoid adding anything to the floor. > > 2. Immediately contact the owner/rental coordinator for your hall, and let > them know about the sticky floor. Try to find out why the floor is not > danceable (spills, new finish, humidity...) and find a short-term solution > (mopping, adding a tiny bit of dance floor powdered wax, etc). One time, our > hall was used the night prior for a party, and sugary drinks had been spilled > everywhere! This wasn't the norm and the owners were apologetic. They put a > lot of e
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
I have used cornmeal many times on many floors. Caution, a little bit goes a long way. As far as corn starch, well, corn starch and water (humidity) makes a great glue (google it). I have never noticed the floor getting noticeably scratched with cornmeal as it is used sparingly just on sticky spots. Have never noticed any other unpleasant after effects either. But as mentioned earlier think about the owners of the floor. My knees often remind me of the effects of a sticky floor. I also recommend using sweeping compound before and after a dance. Before if the floor is dusty and after to keep the owners happy. On 07/20/2015 03:28 PM, Charles M. Hannum via Callers wrote: I don't think you should *ever* “put up with” a super-sticky floor. It damages dancers' knees and ankles. If the floor is too sticky to dance on, and the venue isn't allowing any options for fixing it, cancel the dance. On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 3:21 PM, Lindsey Dono via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Thoughts from the organizational perspective: Be very, very careful about adding anything to any floor you don't own! A number of dances have lost their venues over issues such as this. Question: is this floor chronically sticky, or newly so? My generic plan of action would go something along these lines: 1. Put up with the sticky floor for the one evening (question for all: What are good dances for a slow floor? I'm assuming heys and whole-set promenades would work better than Petronella/Rory O'More figures). If you're at the hall early enough, you can try mopping particularly awful spots with JUST water. Unless you own the hall or have checked in with the owners in advance, probably best to avoid adding anything to the floor. 2. Immediately contact the owner/rental coordinator for your hall, and let them know about the sticky floor. Try to find out why the floor is not danceable (spills, new finish, humidity...) and find a short-term solution (mopping, adding a tiny bit of dance floor powdered wax, etc). One time, our hall was used the night prior for a party, and sugary drinks had been spilled everywhere! This wasn't the norm and the owners were apologetic. They put a lot of effort into cleaning up, and there haven't been issues since. 3. Make long-term plans for a danceable floor. A local grange coordinated with the contra community on the best way to refinish the floor. We faced a rather pungent month of dancing, but afterwards, the floor was excellent. 4. If the hall is unable or unwilling to work with you regarding the sticky floor, probably best to start looking for a new venue. This certainly isn't a pretty scenario, but the lousy floor will drive down attendance, and adding anything to the floor without permission will certainly put you in trouble with the owners. Lindsey -- *From:* Perry Shafran via Callers *To:* Jack Mitchell ; Mary Collins < native...@gmail.com>; "callers@lists.sharedweight.net" < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> *Sent:* Monday, July 20, 2015 11:55 AM *Subject:* Re: [Callers] sticky floors I was trying to figure out which was the right one - one is good to make it less sticky and the other makes it more gummy and a lot worse. Could have sworn it was cornmeal. I'm not the one who usually does it but I think that the people who run our dance use the right thing. Perry -- *From:* Jack Mitchell *To:* Perry Shafran ; Mary Collins ; callers@lists.sharedweight.net *Sent:* Monday, July 20, 2015 2:52 PM *Subject:* Re: [Callers] sticky floors Not cornmeal - corn starch. Cornmeal would likely scratch the floor! Sent from Outlook <http://taps.io/outlookmobile> On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 11:43 AM -0700, "Perry Shafran via Callers" < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Generally cornmeal is used to make the floor less sticky. But be forewarned - don't use too much of it or else you'll have a new problem of the floor being too slippery. Also try to distribute it evenly so you don't have any sticky spots remaining. Perry -- *From:* Mary Collins via Callers *To:* callers@lists.sharedweight.net *Sent:* Monday, July 20, 2015 2:36 PM *Subject:* [Callers] sticky floors Has anyone experienced issues with their wooden dance floors becoming sticky during humid weather? If so, what if anything has been done to alleviate the problem? thanks. Mary C. - Buffalo -- “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown ___ Callers mailing list Callers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net ___ Callers mailing list Callers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.s
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
Whew, If I had to cancel all the gigs I had that had sticky, or otherwise less
than optimum dance floors, I'd lose half my work! Outdoor gigs on the grass
(often sloping or uneven or with holes) or on weddings on rented "dance
floors", indoor school (or other) gigs on super sticky polyurethane gym floors
sometimes wood on cement, church hall or other "local venue" dances on
linoleum/concrete floors, or indoor-outdoor carpet, etc etc etc.. In these
cases, (and I do so many of them I don't even think about it much any more,) I
just have to adjust the dancing to the venue. true, these dances are mostly
family/community type affairs, so they don't last that long, run at a slower
pace and the choreography isn't that difficult!
I agree that it's best not to "mess with someone's floor" certainly not without
permission!! They are often very proprietorial about their floors, especially
schools! The sad thing is a lot of venues think a "shiny floor" is the best
floor.. the finish the heck out of them with shiny stuff (polyurethane
normally) and this is almost always sticky when it's humid. It also comes off
when danced on and covers everything with white power (nice having it stuck in
your nose too!).. But unless we OWN the venues, and that is happening in some
places, (Guiding Star Grange, Capitol City Grange for two) all we can do is try
to educate the venue owners. This is a long process for sure..
Blah blah, what am I saying here?? I guess I am saying, "it ain't that easy"
and there isn't one solution that fits all the possible situations. My way of
dealing as a dancer is to "take it easy" (less twirls and flourishes maybe) or
in extreme cases (and this is bad for sure) to stay away.. and as a programmer,
more forgiving choreography..
Finally, there has been a lot written about finish on dance floors, I'm sure
someone will point us all to the correct archive again. Stan Fowler did a lot
of work on this for Glen Echo and it's written down somewhere.. Others have
done work at the above mentioned venues. BUT this doesn't help us at a one
night stand or at a venue where everything else might be just fine (acoustics,
stage, parking, rent) but where the owners have their own idea about the
floor.. I will be interested to see what more people have to say about this!
bill
List-Post: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2015 15:28:49 -0400
To: lynz...@yahoo.com
CC: jmitchell...@gmail.com; callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] sticky floors
From: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
I don't think you should *ever* “put up with” a super-sticky floor. It damages
dancers' knees and ankles. If the floor is too sticky to dance on, and the
venue isn't allowing any options for fixing it, cancel the dance.
On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 3:21 PM, Lindsey Dono via Callers
wrote:
Thoughts from the organizational perspective:
Be very, very careful about adding anything to any floor you don't own! A
number of dances have lost their venues over issues such as this. Question: is
this floor chronically sticky, or newly so? My generic plan of action would go
something along these lines:
1. Put up with the sticky floor for the one evening (question for all: What are
good dances for a slow floor? I'm assuming heys and whole-set promenades would
work better than Petronella/Rory O'More figures). If you're at the hall early
enough, you can try mopping particularly awful spots with JUST water. Unless
you own the hall or have checked in with the owners in advance, probably best
to avoid adding anything to the floor.
2. Immediately contact the owner/rental coordinator for your hall, and let them
know about the sticky floor. Try to find out why the floor is not danceable
(spills, new finish, humidity...) and find a short-term solution (mopping,
adding a tiny bit of dance floor powdered wax, etc). One time, our hall was
used the night prior for a party, and sugary drinks had been spilled
everywhere! This wasn't the norm and the owners were apologetic. They put a lot
of effort into cleaning up, and there haven't been issues since.
3. Make long-term plans for a danceable floor. A local grange coordinated with
the contra community on the best way to refinish the floor. We faced a rather
pungent month of dancing, but afterwards, the floor was excellent.
4. If the hall is unable or unwilling to work with you regarding the sticky
floor, probably best to start looking for a new venue. This certainly isn't a
pretty scenario, but the lousy floor will drive down attendance, and adding
anything to the floor without permission will certainly put you in trouble with
the owners.
Lindsey
From: Perry Shafran via Callers
To: Jack Mitchell ; Mary Collins
; "callers@lists.sharedweight.net"
Sent: M
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
I don't think you should *ever* “put up with” a super-sticky floor. It damages dancers' knees and ankles. If the floor is too sticky to dance on, and the venue isn't allowing any options for fixing it, cancel the dance. On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 3:21 PM, Lindsey Dono via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Thoughts from the organizational perspective: > > Be very, very careful about adding anything to any floor you don't own! A > number of dances have lost their venues over issues such as this. Question: > is this floor chronically sticky, or newly so? My generic plan of action > would go something along these lines: > > 1. Put up with the sticky floor for the one evening (question for all: > What are good dances for a slow floor? I'm assuming heys and whole-set > promenades would work better than Petronella/Rory O'More figures). If > you're at the hall early enough, you can try mopping particularly awful > spots with JUST water. Unless you own the hall or have checked in with the > owners in advance, probably best to avoid adding anything to the floor. > > 2. Immediately contact the owner/rental coordinator for your hall, and let > them know about the sticky floor. Try to find out why the floor is not > danceable (spills, new finish, humidity...) and find a short-term solution > (mopping, adding a tiny bit of dance floor powdered wax, etc). One time, > our hall was used the night prior for a party, and sugary drinks had been > spilled everywhere! This wasn't the norm and the owners were apologetic. > They put a lot of effort into cleaning up, and there haven't been issues > since. > > 3. Make long-term plans for a danceable floor. A local grange coordinated > with the contra community on the best way to refinish the floor. We faced a > rather pungent month of dancing, but afterwards, the floor was excellent. > > 4. If the hall is unable or unwilling to work with you regarding the > sticky floor, probably best to start looking for a new venue. This > certainly isn't a pretty scenario, but the lousy floor will drive down > attendance, and adding anything to the floor without permission will > certainly put you in trouble with the owners. > > Lindsey > > -- > *From:* Perry Shafran via Callers > *To:* Jack Mitchell ; Mary Collins < > native...@gmail.com>; "callers@lists.sharedweight.net" < > callers@lists.sharedweight.net> > *Sent:* Monday, July 20, 2015 11:55 AM > *Subject:* Re: [Callers] sticky floors > > I was trying to figure out which was the right one - one is good to make > it less sticky and the other makes it more gummy and a lot worse. Could > have sworn it was cornmeal. I'm not the one who usually does it but I > think that the people who run our dance use the right thing. > > Perry > > > > -- > *From:* Jack Mitchell > *To:* Perry Shafran ; Mary Collins ; > callers@lists.sharedweight.net > *Sent:* Monday, July 20, 2015 2:52 PM > *Subject:* Re: [Callers] sticky floors > > Not cornmeal - corn starch. Cornmeal would likely scratch the floor! > > Sent from Outlook <http://taps.io/outlookmobile> > > > > > > > On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 11:43 AM -0700, "Perry Shafran via Callers" < > callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Generally cornmeal is used to make the floor less sticky. But be > forewarned - don't use too much of it or else you'll have a new problem of > the floor being too slippery. Also try to distribute it evenly so you > don't have any sticky spots remaining. > > Perry > > -- > *From:* Mary Collins via Callers > *To:* callers@lists.sharedweight.net > *Sent:* Monday, July 20, 2015 2:36 PM > *Subject:* [Callers] sticky floors > > Has anyone experienced issues with their wooden dance floors becoming > sticky during humid weather? If so, what if anything has been done to > alleviate the problem? > > thanks. > Mary C. - Buffalo > > -- > “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning > to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > > > > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
Talc is a mineral, in character like asbestos. Not only is it a hazard for anyone with breathing problems, it's a problem for everyone. Please, do not talc the floor! Andrea Sent from my iOnlypretendtomultitask > On Jul 20, 2015, at 3:05 PM, Jerome Grisanti via Callers > wrote: > > If you can find UNscented talc (and good luck with that!), try it in a small > area to see if it works on your floor. > > Do NOT use scented baby power -- the cure would be worse than the disease. > > --Jerome > > Jerome Grisanti > 660-528-0858 > http://www.jeromegrisanti.com > > "There's no point in being unhappy about things you can't change, and no > point being unhappy about things you can." > > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
Thoughts from the organizational perspective: Be very, very careful about adding anything to any floor you don't own! A number of dances have lost their venues over issues such as this. Question: is this floor chronically sticky, or newly so? My generic plan of action would go something along these lines: 1. Put up with the sticky floor for the one evening (question for all: What are good dances for a slow floor? I'm assuming heys and whole-set promenades would work better than Petronella/Rory O'More figures). If you're at the hall early enough, you can try mopping particularly awful spots with JUST water. Unless you own the hall or have checked in with the owners in advance, probably best to avoid adding anything to the floor. 2. Immediately contact the owner/rental coordinator for your hall, and let them know about the sticky floor. Try to find out why the floor is not danceable (spills, new finish, humidity...) and find a short-term solution (mopping, adding a tiny bit of dance floor powdered wax, etc). One time, our hall was used the night prior for a party, and sugary drinks had been spilled everywhere! This wasn't the norm and the owners were apologetic. They put a lot of effort into cleaning up, and there haven't been issues since. 3. Make long-term plans for a danceable floor. A local grange coordinated with the contra community on the best way to refinish the floor. We faced a rather pungent month of dancing, but afterwards, the floor was excellent. 4. If the hall is unable or unwilling to work with you regarding the sticky floor, probably best to start looking for a new venue. This certainly isn't a pretty scenario, but the lousy floor will drive down attendance, and adding anything to the floor without permission will certainly put you in trouble with the owners. Lindsey From: Perry Shafran via Callers To: Jack Mitchell ; Mary Collins ; "callers@lists.sharedweight.net" Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 11:55 AM Subject: Re: [Callers] sticky floors I was trying to figure out which was the right one - one is good to make it less sticky and the other makes it more gummy and a lot worse. Could have sworn it was cornmeal. I'm not the one who usually does it but I think that the people who run our dance use the right thing. Perry From: Jack Mitchell To: Perry Shafran ; Mary Collins ; callers@lists.sharedweight.net Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 2:52 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] sticky floors Not cornmeal - corn starch. Cornmeal would likely scratch the floor! Sent from Outlook On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 11:43 AM -0700, "Perry Shafran via Callers" wrote: Generally cornmeal is used to make the floor less sticky. But be forewarned - don't use too much of it or else you'll have a new problem of the floor being too slippery. Also try to distribute it evenly so you don't have any sticky spots remaining. Perry From: Mary Collins via Callers To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 2:36 PM Subject: [Callers] sticky floors Has anyone experienced issues with their wooden dance floors becoming sticky during humid weather? If so, what if anything has been done to alleviate the problem? thanks. Mary C. - Buffalo -- “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown ___ Callers mailing list Callers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net ___ Callers mailing list Callers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
And please don't do any of this without checking with the venue! It's never OK to put down substances on a rented floor without the owner's permission. On Jul 20, 2015 3:05 PM, "Jerome Grisanti via Callers" < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > If you can find UNscented talc (and good luck with that!), try it in a > small area to see if it works on your floor. > > Do NOT use scented baby power -- the cure would be worse than the disease. > > --Jerome > > Jerome Grisanti > 660-528-0858 > http://www.jeromegrisanti.com > > "There's no point in being unhappy about things you can't change, and no > point being unhappy about things you can." > > > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
If you can find UNscented talc (and good luck with that!), try it in a small area to see if it works on your floor. Do NOT use scented baby power -- the cure would be worse than the disease. --Jerome Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com "There's no point in being unhappy about things you can't change, and no point being unhappy about things you can."
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
I was trying to figure out which was the right one - one is good to make it less sticky and the other makes it more gummy and a lot worse. Could have sworn it was cornmeal. I'm not the one who usually does it but I think that the people who run our dance use the right thing. Perry From: Jack Mitchell To: Perry Shafran ; Mary Collins ; callers@lists.sharedweight.net Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 2:52 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] sticky floors Not cornmeal - corn starch. Cornmeal would likely scratch the floor! Sent from Outlook On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 11:43 AM -0700, "Perry Shafran via Callers" wrote: Generally cornmeal is used to make the floor less sticky. But be forewarned - don't use too much of it or else you'll have a new problem of the floor being too slippery. Also try to distribute it evenly so you don't have any sticky spots remaining. Perry From: Mary Collins via Callers To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 2:36 PM Subject: [Callers] sticky floors Has anyone experienced issues with their wooden dance floors becoming sticky during humid weather? If so, what if anything has been done to alleviate the problem? thanks. Mary C. - Buffalo -- “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown ___ Callers mailing list Callers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
Not cornmeal - corn starch. Cornmeal would likely scratch the floor! Sent from Outlook On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 11:43 AM -0700, "Perry Shafran via Callers" wrote: Generally cornmeal is used to make the floor less sticky. But be forewarned - don't use too much of it or else you'll have a new problem of the floor being too slippery. Also try to distribute it evenly so you don't have any sticky spots remaining. Perry From: Mary Collins via Callers To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 2:36 PM Subject: [Callers] sticky floors Has anyone experienced issues with their wooden dance floors becoming sticky during humid weather? If so, what if anything has been done to alleviate the problem? thanks. Mary C. - Buffalo -- “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown ___ Callers mailing list Callers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
Re: [Callers] sticky floors
Generally cornmeal is used to make the floor less sticky. But be forewarned - don't use too much of it or else you'll have a new problem of the floor being too slippery. Also try to distribute it evenly so you don't have any sticky spots remaining. Perry From: Mary Collins via Callers To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 2:36 PM Subject: [Callers] sticky floors Has anyone experienced issues with their wooden dance floors becoming sticky during humid weather? If so, what if anything has been done to alleviate the problem? thanks. Mary C. - Buffalo -- “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown ___ Callers mailing list Callers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
[Callers] sticky floors
Has anyone experienced issues with their wooden dance floors becoming sticky during humid weather? If so, what if anything has been done to alleviate the problem? thanks. Mary C. - Buffalo -- “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown
