Tap is a form of dance that is different from any other. In tap dance, you have metal plates, or taps, on the bottom of your shoes with which you make a rhythm. Tap can be done to music, or a cappella. Some of the best tap dancers free style, but tap can also be choreographed for a group.


There are many different ways to do tap dance, and each person adds their own style to the dance. 'Hoofing' is a style of tap which originated from the streets. The dancers use more of their legs, not just feet, to make a louder and more grounded sound. 'Broadway style' is a much more common style of tap, which is generally with which you learn to tap. Broadway style has a much more ballroom or ballet look, where the taps are much softer. When a tap dance is choreographed for a group, broadway style is generally used, but this is quickly changing as the world of dance progresses.

There are also two styles which, to many people, have become known as American and English tap. Both are taught all over the world, the styles mostly just differ in the names of the steps. For example in American tap there is a step called a slap. This is a basic step that consists of a forward tap and then a spring onto that foot. Alternating feet, it sort of looks like you are hopping from one foot to another. In English tap, this would be called a tap spring. In English tap the names of steps are much more explanatory than American tap, but the steps are exactly the same. If you take exams through ISTD (the Imperial Society of Teaching of Dancing) you will learn English tap. Many tap students, like myself, take classes in both styles.


There are about 15 different movements with your foot that make-up all of the steps in tap. Although the names may slightly differ depending on your style of tap, and your teacher, the steps are the same.

There are 6 different taps:

• straight tap
• forward tap
• back tap
• heel tap
• toe tap
• ball tap

There are 3 different drops:

• ball drop
• toe drop
• heel drop

There are 6 other movements that help make up steps:

• stomp
• stamp
• step
• leap
• hop
• scuff
• pick up
• pull back

These basic movements make up some of the basic steps of tap which include:

• shuffle
• slap
• riff
• cramp roll
• buffalo
• maxi ford
• paddle
• time steps
• many many more

Tap could have originated many different ways, but some possibilities are through Irish Step Dancing, clogging, or African dance. All these styles of dance consist of a rhythm somehow made. The Broadway style of tap became popular in the 1930's and 1940's. Some popular dancers from this time were people like Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, "Bojangles" Robinson and Shirley Temple. In the 1950's, the music world began to change, and the style of tap began to change as well. The latest style of tap to evolve is hoofing. Some popular dancers from the modern tap world are Brenda Buffalino, Sam Weber, Jason Samuels Smith, and Savion Glover (who is one of THE best hoofers out there). The world of tap is forever changing and evolving with more upcoming stars to be discovered.

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