The Sprung Dance Floor
The mystique of the sprung dance floor and the methods that made it spring
The Sprung Dance Floor
The Sprung Dance Floor chronicles the evolution of the ballroom sprung floor, tracing its origins in early American taverns and inns and its spread across the nation, becoming part of dancing lore. The book explores these early buildings and their importance to the communities as centers of commerce, assembly, and entertainment, and leads the reader to the great dance halls of the twentieth century. Often dismissed as a myth, the sprung floor is documented across a wide range of locations in North America and around the world.
The second half of The Sprung Dance Floor reveals and explains various innovative methods for making ballroom floors spring, from the creative inventions of early carpenters and housewrights using only timber and lumber frames, to advanced methods based on modern metallurgy. This book includes an exhaustive list of actual and potential sprung-floor ballroom locations.
The Sprung Dance Floor should be read by anyone interested in American history, historic architecture, historic preservation, American pioneer settlement, early sociology, and dance history. It is a must-read for enthusiastic dancers.