Tap Dance
Tap Dance
Tap dance is a form of dance in which a tapping sound is made when metal plates on the dancer’s shoes touch a hard surface.
Tap dancing evolved from other forms of dance from Ireland, England, Africa and The West Indies. During the 1930’s to 1950’s tapping moved from Vaudeville to movies and then television.
Early tap dancers like Fred Astaire provided a ballroom to tap dancing while Gene Kelly used his ballet training to make his style of tap.
This in turn led to the style we know of today called “Broadway Style” and is more popular in American culture. One of the best examples of this style is found in the musical 42nd Street.
Common Tap Steps
Toe Tap
Toe Tip (stand up on the tip of your toes and stay balanced)
Brushe
Shuffle
Shuffle Ball Change
Flap
Heel
Flap Heel
Cramproll
Buffalo
Single and Double Pullbacks
Wings
Stomps
Scuffs
Riffs
Chugs
Pick Ups
Single, Double, Triple Time Steps
In advanced tap dancing, the above steps are often combined together. You can develop your foot speed with tap exercises and by practicing often. See some of the tap dance videos in this section for inspiration!