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The Bolshoi opts for Harlequin Floors
In most theatres and opera houses wagons are trucked on and off stage, but at the Bolshoi the wagons are winched to the back of the stage and hauled up into a vertical position, then dropped into a storage slot at the back of the stage until called for again. Since each of the two wagons was estimated to weigh 1.5 tonnes complete with the basketweave floor construction, Harlequin appointed structural engineers at the early design stage to calculate loads and devise special fixings to ensure the total weight was adequately supported during storage.
The floor itself is based on Harlequin Woodspring - a basketweave design continuing a long tradition of use in Russian dance, and dating back to the reign of Louis XIV in France. This comprises three layers of wooden battens at right angles to each other, with cushioned pads underneath and a plywood top, which is covered by a Harlequin Cascade vinyl dance floor surface when used for ballet. To allow for the unusual vertical storage position, Harlequin designed special ‘top-hat’ brackets to attach the bottom layer of battens to the sub floor of the wagons while allowing compression and spring for the dancers, as well as fully securing the total assembly. A shock absorbent layer topped each bracket, with friction free layers on the other three sides, to eliminate noise but still allow the necessary spring in the floor. In total some 1,400 cushioned pads, 2,400 metres of batten, 300 sheets of 8’ x 4’ plywood and 700 special ‘top-hat’ brackets were used in the installation.
Currently involved in a three-year renovation plan that will transform The Bolshoi building that has changed little since the 1850s, the refurbishment sets out to install up to date stage technology while retaining the grand 19th century style of the red and gold auditorium and its glittering chandeliers. During this renovation the ballet and opera stars perform in a second Bolshoi theatre, which opened in 2002 specifically for this purpose, and where the Harlequin floor is installed. The green and gold New Stage is much smaller than the original but retains its classical style. Because it is too small for some of the Bolshoi's classical ballets, the company has developed a more modern repertoire. The Bolshoi attracts a 2,000 capacity crowd almost every day.
According to Alexey Ratmansky, artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet, “the dance floor is vitally important for the ballet dancers - how to avoid injuries to dancers during many years of a professional career and how to create on stage an ethereal illusion in romantic ballets and contemporary performances? All this largely depends on the quality of the floor,” said Ratmansky. In conclusion he added: “Harlequin’s exclusive design for our ballet floor satisfies our highest requirements. The Bolshoi is proud to work with Harlequin.”
http://www.harlequinfloors.com
4th March 2005
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