An overflow crowd of dancers packed the District Office boardroom Monday morning detailing what they described as dangerous situations on floors at recreation centers in The Villages.
They took their case before the Project Wide Advisory Committee, which oversees amenities south of County Road 466.
Director of Recreation John Rohan explained that many of the newer recreation centers and some that have been recently upgraded like Chula Vista have “Luxury Vinyl Tile” or “LVT” flooring. He described it as a “high standard quality floor” for a variety of uses.
“All flooring has a certain co-efficiency for use,” Rohan said.
Villager Bill Yelverton, serving as a spokesman for the group, called it “LVP” – luxury vinyl plank. He held up a plank to emphasize his point.
He explained that dance teachers, dance choreographers and performers wear a variety of shoes, including ballet slippers and tap shoes.
“These are not ‘fitness focus’ people in zumba who wear sneakers,” he said.
He said there are about 2,000 dancer resident hours per week at recreation centers in The Villages. He said these are not amateurs, but professionals, many of whom have operated their own dance studios.
Sue Schuler, of the Village of Hemingway, said she worked as a professional choreographer and teaches three different dance groups in The Villages.
“I have personally fallen three times at Coconut Cove. The floor is particularly bad after it has been cleaned,” she said.
Diane Vargas, of the Village of Bonita, who is trained in classical ballet, said she suffered a broken foot some years ago.
“You have to have the proper surface. You wouldn’t ask the polo horses to run in the parking lot. You wouldn’t ask a football player to play on concrete,” she said.
Yelverton’s wife, Helene, operated a dance studio for 51 years in upstate New York. She is involved in dance programs in The Villages.
“We are constantly worried about falling,” she said.
Bill Yelverton suggested that the dancers could serve as consultants on flooring at recreation centers.
PWAC agreed to take the dancers’ plea under consideration.
“I, for one, heard you loud and clear,” said PWAC Chairman Peter Moeller.
