Dancers will use talc to aid them as it reduces the friction between their shoes and the floorboards, making it easier for them to spin and glide at high speeds on the dancefloor, especially when paired with a good pair of leather-soled shoes. It’s often used in venues where the dancefloor isn’t as well kept as it perhaps once was, worn down over the years or tacky from endless drinks being spilled on previous nights.
“No talc on the dancefloor” is a sign pinned up at a lot of venues nowadays, often an option out of the control of the promoters and enforced by the venue itself. Talc, if used in excess, can spark health and safety issues for venues, with highly slippery dancefloors being a prime cause of accidents. The fine powder can also be a pain to clean once the night is over, trodden into the floorboards and carpets.
Despite this, these little bottles of dancing powder will forever hold a place on the scene and continue to help keep dancers spinning until the early hours of the morning.
