Introduction To Tap Dancing

By Author: Maxwell David
Total Articles: 26
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Tap dancing has traditionally played a huge role in musical theatre, characterising Broadway shows such as 42nd Street. Movie stars of the 30s and 40s such as Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Gene Kelly created their own styles using ballet and ballroom dancing to enhance the steps, making it more dynamic and very popular. However, tap is now a feature of many modern dance productions such as Stomp and Riverdance and can be used to accompany a wide range of music from drum and bass to hiphop!

If you've ever seen Singin' in the Rain, you'll agree that Kelly makes tap dancing look so easy! In reality it takes years of practice to master advanced tap technique. However, once you've learnt the basic steps you can use them to learn anything! So where do you start?

There are many different styles such as American tap, Irish tap and rhythm tap (danced by hoofers, who dance primarily with their legs, making a louder, more grounded sound).

However, the most common style which is taught to beginners is Broadway style which uses high-heeled tap shoes and show music. First of all, find a tap dancing class which caters ...
... for beginners. The teacher will normally advise you on what type of tap shoes to buy, and this is where you can learn fundamental tap movements such as the ball tap, heel dig, brush, shuffle, shuffle ball change, scuff, heel drop, ball drop, pullbacks and wings. Please note, that there is generally no universally agreed terms for tap techniques and steps, so each teacher may refer to the steps by a different name, depending on what they have been taught. These movements, once learned, provide the basis for most tap combinations and steps.

You can then proceed to learn more advanced steps such as the triple time step and popular combinations such as the ‘flap heel toe heel step brush heel', which is normally performed whilst spinning around in a circle.

Top tips:
#1: Tap dancers make frequent use of syncopation and choreography typically starts on the eighth or first beat count. There are often several tap movements within one beat count so it is essential to know the rhythm of the piece exactly, especially when dancing in a group.
#2: Keep your body loose and fluid when tap dancing. Depending on the style of the piece or the particular movement, you will be instructed to do various things with your arms. However, generally, when there is no specific instruction, your arms are bent at the elbows and held slightly in front of the body at waist level.
#3: Improvisation plays a huge role in tap choreography, so don't be afraid to use the basic steps to create your own combinations. This is exactly how so many new and exciting tap styles have been created.
#4: One of the most essential tips to remember when tap dancing is not to look at your feet! As long as you keep your head up, smile at your audience and look confident, no-one will notice if you make a mistake with your feet!

Bear these tips in mind and you'll soon be tapping your troubles away!
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