Basics of Tap Dancing

There are very few dance forms that are considered uniquely “American.” One of these forms is tap dancing. Tap dancing was birthed out of a mixture of immigrant cultures here in America and has continued to evolve into the discipline that it is today; the basics for tap dancing actually came out of Africans mocking the clogging steps of the Irish immigrants and the Irish mockingly imitating the tribal dance patterns of the Africans. Tap shoes slowly evolved also, changing from the clogging shoes of the Irish/Scottish to the soft shoes with pennies nailed into the bottoms of them to today’s version of the tap shoe (with metal plates on both the heels and toes). However, what started out as all-in-fun mocking of each other on late nights eventually matured into the respected dance form that tap is considered today, with top performers entertaining audiences at the White House and other such “dignified” locations. For anyone who is seeking to learn more on how to master this uniquely American form of dance, here is a bit of advice.

First of all, realize that tap dancing shoes in decent condition can be purchased online (from sites such as ebay.com) for relatively affordable prices. You may also want to scour out local garage sales (my friend found a pair of classic-looking tan tap shoes for only twenty-five cents) or Goodwill stores for other used tap shoes options. New tap shoes often cost around forty dollars; try to find a pair of used ones for under twenty dollars.

Secondly, realize that all of the quicker beats of tap dancing are simply “fast forwarded” versions of slower basic steps. When broken down, most of these basic steps are beautifully simple in concept; tap sounds are usually made through a combination of hitting the floor with either the heel, ball of the toe, or toe of the tap shoes. Varying the amount of pressure/weight put on a section of your foot for each step will determine the sound that the step makes.

Finally, know that smaller movements will enable you to speed up your basic steps to faster, more impressive beats. For example, when bringing up a foot before it strikes the ground, try to only bring it up a minimum distance from the floor to make the wanted sound; the less distance you travel during a move, the quicker your body can do that movement. Additionally, one of the keys to successfully speeding up tap dance movements is having “loose” ankles. If your ankles are stiff while dancing then it will be incredibly difficult for you to get the full range of motion necessary for quicker taps. Keeping your ankles well relaxed will open up a whole new range of tap dancing movements at beautifully fast paces.

As you explore the world of tap dancing, remember to have fun. Tap dancing is best performed with a smile on your face, as it is a very uplifting and entertaining dance form. Keeping these few basic tips in mind will help prepare you for further success in your tapping endeavors.