Building a Dance Studio At Home

Building a dance studio in your own home will give you the freedom to dance whenever you want to dance. You do not have to be a professional dancer to enjoy having your own dance studio either, but you do need the drive to want to get up and do something even more constructive first. Here are a few simple steps that will allow even a simple do-it-yourselfer to transform a part of their home into a dance studio.

Pick Your Spot

Choose a place in your house for your dance studio. This will be your own space, and what goes on the inside should not bother anyone else. Remember that you may be blasting music, so pick a space that is either soundproof or can be treated with soundproofing materials. This should also be a space where you will feel comfortable dancing. You may want to avoid a room with lots of windows in case you will be dancing at night when the neighbors can see in. While a detached garage or storage building may be ideal for this project, make sure you will be able to access it on a rainy or snowy day.

Never dance on concrete floors or pavement because it can, and most likely will cause compression related damage to your knees and to other joints as well. Your studio floor should be constructed from wood. If you do not have a spare room that already has wood flooring, you can either install one yourself or have a professional do it for you. Consider using a laminate flooring material as an inexpensive wood alternative, as it also provides you with more adequate cushioning and increased durability that is desirable of a dance floor.

Ballet Barres

You will need ballet barres along the walls for doing stretch routines and other floor exercises. If it fits your budget you can purchase relatively inexpensive ballet barres used by searching online, or from a dancers supply store In a pinch you may also opt to use basic handrails instead.

Mirror Mirror On The Wall

Almost every dance studio it seems has floor to ceiling mirrors, but these can be expensive and possibly out of reach so you can always improvise if you wish to. Buy large mirrors from a hardware store or even one large one from a department store. A long mirror on rollers may also be a good option as you will be able to move the mirror where you need it. Most importantly, make sure you can see yourself move in various spots on the floor and in different positions so you can critique yourself.

Cue The Music Maestro

Bring in a portable stereo or have it installed into the room. It doesn't need to be anything too fancy—just enough to play the type of music that inspires you. You can use CDs or make a playlist on your MP3 player for a uniquely personalized soundtrack that has a beat and you can dance to.