Harlequin Floors (British Harlequin plc)

Harlequin has worked with Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, founders of the BalletBoyz, on a number of projects, providing Harlequin floors for their studios, tours and film productions. The BalletBoyz studios, based in Kingston Upon Thames, have two studios with Harlequin Activity sprung floor and Harlequin Cascade vinyl. The BalletBoyz rehearse for their tours there as well as hosting workshops including Parkinson's CAN Dance. In 2019 Michael and William directed the film Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words where all performers, featuring dancers from the Royal Ballet, danced on printed Harlequin Cascade vinyl and Harlequin Liberty sprung floor panels. When touring, the BalletBoyz have danced on Harlequin Studio and Harlequin Reversible vinyl. 

Harlequin have worked closely with the Hippodrome and it's resident partners for many years. The venue holds a 1,800-seat auditorium, 200 seat Patrick Studio, and also the largest dance led campus outside of London, home to Birmingham Royal Ballet, DanceXchange, Dance Consortium, OneDanceUK and The Space.

Since 201, CAST in Morpeth, Northumberland, train 350 students a year in all aspects of performing arts. Their studios are equipped with over 130 square meters of Harlequin Flexity sprung panels with Harlequin Fiesta and Harlequin Engineered Oak. ‘Ever since training at Italia Conti and rehearsing in and around London, my favorite studios and performance spaces to work in were all kitted out by Harlequin! I knew I had to have Harlequin supply and install the mirrors, barres and flooring in my own performing arts school.’

English National Ballet and the English National Ballet School have moved to a brand new world-class home at London City Island. Designed by award-winning architects Glenn Howells Architects working together with fit-out and refurbishment experts BW, the new building provides 93,000 sq ft of unprecedented facilities. The enormous project for Harlequin Floors involved the completion of eight rehearsal studios. Harlequin Activity sprung flooring was installed with Harlequin Cascade vinyl performance surface.Completed installation of over 1900m2 of Harlequin Activity sprung floor and Harlequin Cascade vinyl surface and a further 200m2 of Harlequin Standfast vinyl performance surface in fitness and rehab facilities. Additionally, 225m2 Harlequin Liberty sprung floor panels were supplied for the Company to take on tour. Initially hired as temporary floors for the rehearsal studio space at Here East during the construction phase, these were then purchased for touring use. 

When Shakespeare’s Globe looked at floors for their new education and rehearsal centre, Sackler Studios, they chose a Harlequin Activity floor with a hardwood oak surface. “It’s a product I am particularly familiar with due to working in and creating different spaces over the years and was something our acoustic consultant was keen on using. From a look and feel as a working surface and as part of the sound separation between all the studios I’m tremendously pleased.” Andy Scorgie Head of Facilities Management Shakespeare’s Globe

In the three dance studios Harlequin supplied and installed a fully-floating Harlequin Activity sprung floor with Harlequin Cascade and Harlequin Standfast performance surfaces totalling over 330 square metres. Harlequin Ballet Barres and Harlequin Mirrors completed the dance studio facilities. In the Performance Teaching Space a Harlequin WoodSpring basket weave sprung floor system with a Harlequin Standfast top surface was supplied and installed to an area of over 180 square metres.

Harlequin's expert technical team installed a fully-floating Harlequin Activity sprung floor system in all of the professional-standard studio performance spaces, topped with Harlequin Standfast, Harlequin Cascade and Harlequin Freestyle vinyl surfaces. Harlequin Mirrors and Harlequin Ballet Barres completed the installation. All floors were completed with fully welded seams and composite edge trims.

Rambert School of Ballet called upon Harlequin to provide professional standard dance floors for both additional areas. A high quality floor was essential as the correct dance floor makes an important contribution to the safe performance of dancers, reducing the risk of slips and falls, or longer-term stress injuries. Harlequin Cascade with BioCote Antimicrobial Protection was the perfect solution for both areas as it provided added reassurance in a time when it was most needed. Harlequin Liberty was also installed in the marquee.

Over 1,600m2 of Harlequin Activity™ sprung floor system and Harlequin Cascade vinyl was used to create four stunning performance spaces at the new £145 million Central Saint Martin’s College of Arts and Design at the King’s Cross Campus in London.

Since opening night in Dublin seventeen years ago, Riverdance has been packing out theatres around the world. With over 10,000 performances and 22 million people having watched the show, Harlequin Cascade has been consistent throughout. Riverdance explain why they chose Harlequin Cascade for their performances. “Well over 1,000 dancers, musicians and singers have performed their magic on those Riverdance stages, safe in the knowledge that Harlequin Cascade works as well and as consistently as they do!... Harlequin Cascade allows all our performers to deliver exhilarating performances in complete safety.” Julian Erskine Senior Executive Producer Riverdance

The Royal & Derngate Theatre is a mult-purpose space which can be configured for a variety of performances. Harlequin’s stage refurbishment project was the first restoration undertaken since 2005 when the theatre was first re-developed.A comprehensive multi-layered Harlequin Stage System. Harlequin fitted new battens to strengthen the stage over which a further double-layer of wood ply was installed. The stage surface was finished with a black Harlequin Standfast vinyl performance floor. The complete refurbishment project covered the entire stage area incorporating wings, lifts, orchestra pit and retractable removable seating.

Harlequin worked closely with the Royal Academy of Dance throughout the whole planning and development process. After working with Harlequin for After working with Harlequin for over 30 years, the RAD knew that they wanted Harlequin floors in their new studios. Harlequin supplied and installed over 1200m2 of Harlequin Activity sprung floor and Harlequin Cascade vinyl performance floor with BioCote antimic antimicrobial protection. Harlequin water cut the mirrors to fit the wall mounted ballet barres directly to the walls to create a seamless and neat finish. Along with the studios, RAD’s new home for dance has a 193-seat pe 193-seat performance space with Harlequin Activity and Harlequin Cascade to showcase the RAD’s dancing talent. 

Before the installation of the Liberty Switch system could begin, a sub-floor was constructed using timber battens to provide a completely level surface onto which the pre-manufactured Liberty Switch base panels, complete with the drives and control mechanism were installed. The Harlequin Liberty top panels were then laid and locked into place, finally being topped with a Harlequin Studio vinyl floor. The whole system is operated via a master control unit using a simple touch screen placed on the wall of the room which enables rapid transformation.