Dancers too often find themselves warming up on the concrete or carpet backstage, or wanting to practice in a location without a proper floor. For years, Harlequin Floors has offered a solution to this problem with its innovative turning board, offering a portable and personal floor that can be flipped between marley and wood. Now, they’ve revolutionized portability again with their practice mat, offering dancers the option to roll up their own personal floor and sling it over their shoulders like a yoga mat.

See how Harlequin‘s products have become everyday essentials:

Safety is key.

Having access to Harlequin‘s flooring off-site with the turning board and practice mat satisfies dance photographer Chris Stark’s number-one priority. “I can take them on-location to help preserve dancers’ safety,” Stark says.

Physical therapist Holly Burns uses the practice mat at her clinic with dancers for similar reasons. Similarly, Ashley Allen of Dance Physio & Training takes her Harlequin practice mat to work with dancers in high schools, theaters, studios, and in her own home, and appreciates having a consistent surface that’s a slip-resistant option for dancers.

Indeed, to optimize your performance, wouldn’t it make sense to always practice on the same surface you’ll encounter on the stage? Harlequin‘s vinyl dance floors—which were developed specifically for dancers—are used by top companies around the world, from the Paris Opéra Ballet to the Bolshoi Ballet to American Ballet Theatre.

It pays to practice on the real thing.

When shooting dance competitions, Stark often sees dancers preparing on concrete and linoleum backstage before performing. “It’s just not a good emulation of the surface they’ll be performing on,” he says. Andile Ndlovu, a dancer with The Washington Ballet, finds a similar need before his performances. With convenient and portable Harlequin flooring, “your warm-up is in your hands,” he says.

They’re made for use.

Harlequin‘s turning board and practice mat are meant to be used anywhere and any day. Kaycee Jones, co-founder of Apolla Performance Wear, uses Harlequin’s turning board at conventions to give dancers a proper surface to try their signature Shocks.

Dance Magazine | How Turning Boards and Practice Mats Can Revolutionize Your Dance Training