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Dancer Stephanie Folkins tries out the new space. (Nick Pearce Photo)

Dalhousie acting and dance students can leap without care now that Studio 2 in the Dalhousie Arts Centre has received a major facelift.

What started as a $5,000 alteration to the flooring in the studio became a $40,000 overhaul that included an entire new floor, new paint and a new heating system, resulting in a more functional, brighter and safer working space.

The studio space was notorious for its softwood parquet floor laid over concrete. Needless to say, dancing or moving about on such an unforgiving surface is hard on shins, ankles, and feet. To top it off, the finish was very rough. The floor had to go.

鈥淭hey needed something that would make it easier on the students鈥� joints,鈥� said Garry Martell from Facilities Management.

Over the summer, the old floor was removed and replaced with a sprung floor. Commonly used in dance studios or gymnasiums, the sprung floor absorbs shocks and is softer to walk on, enhancing performance and greatly reducing injury. The difference is amazing, says Susan Stackhouse, chair of Dalhousie鈥檚 Department of Theatre.

鈥淎nyone who engages in intense physical activity benefits from such a floor. The finish is cleaner and much safer, and people will be less prone to injuries,鈥� said Dr. Stackhouse.聽 鈥淧lus, they repainted the studio and it feels lighter, brighter and healthier. It鈥檚 truly a beautiful dance studio.

鈥淚t鈥檚 inspiring, for both students and faculty, to create in such a space!鈥�