Tap Dancing Classes
Tap Dancing is...
a fun style to learn. To this day, I can remember the thrill at 5 years old of wearing my first pair of red leather tap shoes made by Freeds of London.
To achieve good technique we need flexible and relaxed ankles, plenty of bounce in the knees and strong insteps. A good sense of musical timing is needed.
Strong use of the insteps helps develop “light and shade” to the sounds produced by the feet – that is, heavy and light sounds that make different tones within the rhythms adding further interest to the dance routines.
Use of syncopation and stop time help to make rhythms even more appealing.
Tap routines should be visually engaging, can be themed, can be set to all types of musical genres and differing time signatures.
As with all styles in can be performed, solo, duet, trio or troupe (more than 4 people) .
Developing Strength, Grace and Control
In class, tap dancers learn steps such as shuffles, flaps, ball changes, brushes, riffs, and time steps. These movements are combined into phrases that require clarity, control, and accurate rhythm. Good tap technique depends on relaxed ankles, precise weight changes, and the ability to separate sounds cleanly so that the dancer’s footwork remains both visually engaging and musically expressive.
As the tapwork becomes more advanced, the basic steps can be put together in combinations where the rhythms become more sophisticated and complex. Dependent on the style of the routine, arm lines can greatly enhance the overall performance. Dancetec Academy teaches the International Dance Teachers Association Tap Grades.
