Spanning 30,000 square feet, the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance is situated in the iconic Paramount Building just outside of Times Square in the heart of New York City. Designed by MBB Architects, the facility uses an adaptive reuse approach that honors the building’s original 1920s architecture while creating a modern home for dance, education, and artistic exploration.
The design draws on Martha Graham’s signature concept of “contraction and release,” incorporating movement and rhythm throughout the layout. Non-original floors were removed to restore dramatic, multi-story spaces beneath the building’s original sawtooth skylights. The center features six state-of-the-art dance studios, including two studios with soaring three-story ceilings that accommodate dynamic rehearsals and flexible performance stagings.
Harlequin provided the Harlequin Flexity® Panel Floor System for all six studios. Designed for both permanent and semi-permanent installations, Flexity gives dancers a consistent, supportive sprung dance floor for classes, rehearsals, and creative work. Each studio is finished with a Harlequin Cascade® performance surface, offering the durability, traction, and performance qualities required for a wide range of dance styles.
In addition to its studios, the center brings together the Martha Graham School, archival and licensing resources, dressing rooms, public reception areas, and the company’s administrative offices. The project also connects meaningfully with its historic setting. The Paramount Building opened in 1926, the same year Martha Graham founded her dance company.
As the Official Flooring Sponsor of the Martha Graham Dance Company, Harlequin is proud to help create professional environments where dancers can train, rehearse, perform, and continue Martha Graham’s groundbreaking artistic legacy