Tap Dance

Tap dancing is defined by the creation of sounds made in a rhythmic pattern when the foot strikes or steps onto the floor. The easiest tap steps to learn are flap, shuffle, and ball change. They...

The flap is a tap dancing maneuver that can be used when traveling, standing in place or as a combination of a more complex dance step. Learn to perform the flap move in tap dance from a tap...

The "essence" is the basic step in the soft shoe. If you were doing a single back essence you would do a spank, which is a back brush, on your starting foot. Then step down on your opposite foot,...

The scap is a quirky variation on the basic flap, a step that is frequently done in tap dancing. When a dancer flaps, she brushes to the front on the ball of her foot and then steps down. In the...

The Irish pullback toe flap is an advanced step. It is a variation of the basic Irish step, which consists of a shuffle hop and then a step to the back or to the front, depending on if you are...

The Flabbergast, which was created by one of Rod Howell's tap-dancing students, is an intricate dance combination, comprised of five sounds/taps. The dancer must think ahead and consider where her...

The Rise is a flashy tap dancing combination and requires that the dancer stand on her toe--for a second. The combination includes a back brush, also known as a spank, a toe dig, a step--the easy...

A traditional Irish step in tap dancing entails a shuffle hop and a step. The dancer can step down to the front or to the back, which determines if she is traveling to the front or to the back. In...

The spat is done very quickly, and is a jazzy-looking tap-dancing step. However, getting the hang of balancing on the tip of your toe, even momentarily, will take some practice. All dancers learn...

The step heel flap hop combination in tap dancing is easy enough that young dancers can accomplish it, yet it travels and includes a hop and chug so it doesn't look elementary. Encourage young...

A running cramproll is also a double cramproll done in quick succession as the dancer moves to one side or the other. A cramproll can be preceded by steps, flaps or shuffles. Some camprolls are...

This is yet another variation of the time step, which has so many configurations that it might take a dancer a lifetime to learn them all. This combination includes a toe jab, or toe tip, to the...

The Irish step in tap dancing has its roots in Irish reels and jigs and was introduced to America when Irish immigrants arrived in this country during the 19th century. The Irish always consists...

A time step in tap dancing can be a buck (starts with a stomp) or a traditional version (starts with a shuffle). It can be a single, double or triple. The time step can travel or stay in place,...

Ironically, this dance step is called the "stamp" time step whereas the dancer is actually doing a stomp. Go figure! This time step combination is considered a "double" because the dancer is doing...

A time step can be a single, double or triple, depending on how many sounds are made. If the dancer does a step, she makes one sound/tap; that equals a single. If she does a flap step (brush...

The waltz clog is done in 3/4 time and traditionally was executed by dancers wearing clog shoes. The dance originated in Germany and became a part of American culture when German immigrants...

The Irish Washerwoman step in tap dancing is a moving step. The dancer will move to one side or another, depending on which foot the combination is started on. The movement is done on the flap,...

Who knew Martha Washington could tap dance? For whatever reason, this tap dance step is named after the very first First Lady. The combination consists of kicking, flaps (which are brush steps,...

The time step is one of the essential steps in tap dancing. This particular time step is considered a traveling time step because the dancer is going to move either to her left, or to her right,...

It may strike a dancer as a wee bit ironic that a certain cramp roll is described as a "close" cramp roll, because all cramp rolls require intricate, close-to-the floor footwork. This one may...

When reading the instructions to the Cubanola Glide, you may be initially put off because it is lengthy; however, there is a lot of repetition. If you can execute a back flap (which is a brush to...

Emery Clay is a renowned tap dancer and instructor who, over the years, has created several dance combinations that now boast his name. Clay's version of the time step is built on the basic single...

A cramp roll is considered "reversed" when the order of heel drops is changed. Instead of stepping onto your right foot and then onto your left foot followed by a heel drop on your right and then...

There are numerous variations of the time step, which is traditionally placed at the start of a routine to set the rhythm. Every tap dancing student will learn at least one version of the time...

The flap brush chug combination is a short one. It entails doing both front brushes (which a flap is) and a back brush, which is sometimes referred to as a spank. The chug maneuver is an...

When doing the Dixie step in tap dancing, the dancer travels forward. Flaps (brush steps) are conducive to forward traveling. The Dixie primarily consists of shuffle ball-changes. When a dancer...

A break is an intentional interruption in the rhythm of the music or of a dance step. If a dancer is doing the triple time step (shuffle hop, shuffle step, flap step) she can add this break to...

The one, two, three step in tap dancing involves, as the title suggests, three stamps. When a dancer does a stamp, she puts her weight down on the stamp. When she does a stomp, which is also part...

A time step in tap dancing is a clearly defined rhythm that is generally found at the beginning of a dance routine to set the tempo. There are numerous time-step variations, including the reverse...

In the shuffle off, the dancer combines a few of the most basic steps in tap dancing. There is a shuffle, naturally, as well as a leap, two flaps, which are brush steps to the front, and a flat,...

The dancer will do a flap cramproll in this time-step. A cramproll occurs when the dancer quickly drops both heels in rapid succession. This cramproll is preceded by a flap, which is a front brush...

The sidestep and Murphy break is lengthy but the good thing is that you only need to repeat one sequence, five times, making it easy to memorize the combination. The Murphy break is named after...

The heel jig is a nifty little combination. The dancer digs her heel and then swivels her toe, which is pointed upward, to the inside and then the outside. The movement is somewhat reminiscent of...

The single pullback time step is one of hundreds of time steps. This combination features a pullback, which is a back brush and step on the same foot. It is not a pullback change, in which the...

Doing a pickup in tap dancing is challenging. The dancer is required to shuffle on her right foot and, while her right foot is still lifted, back brush on her left foot, leaping onto her right...

The heeling step in tap dancing isn't lengthy or complicated, but it requires the dancer to balance on her heels, which may take some practice. The dancer incorporates back brushes (or spanks)...

The cramproll in tap dancing is a study in close footwork. A cramproll occurs when both heels are dropped in rapid succession. Dancing on the balls of your feet makes it easier to execute. This...

The receding cramproll gets its name because the dancer is flapping (back brush step) to the back and stepping to the back rather than dancing in place. Recall that a cramproll is done when a...

The tea for two step in tap dancing is a turn. When you do a flat, recall that it's a a stamp, not a stomp in which no weight is applied. Do not confuse a flat with a flap, which is a brush step....

The Buffalo step in tap dancing has traditionally been used as a way for the dancer to exit the stage. This step can be used to move either to the right or the left, depending on which foot you...

In the crossing waltz clog step, the dancer does what is called a "balance"--meaning that she steps down on her right foot in front of her left foot, then steps down on her left foot behind her...

The soft shoe was originally done on a sandy floor by a dancer who wore soft-soled shoes. Over the years, the soft shoe has become a part of tap dancing, and is now executed while wearing tap...

The half break time step combination includes shuffles and hops. Essentially, you repeat the first combination--shuffle hop step shuffle step--three times and then add the break, which consists of...

This time-step combination (named after the term "hoofer," which is slang for dancer) involves stamps and stomps. Remember that stamps bear weight, whereas stomps don't. Also recall that...

The double time step in tap dancing differs from the single (or basic) time step in that there are two flaps instead of one. A dancer generally does a break after executing a time step three...

In this time step, the dancer incorporates a riffle, which is a three-sound step that includes brushing forward on the ball of your foot followed by scuffing your heel against the floor and then...

A single time step consists of shuffle hop step flap step. If it were a buck time step, the shuffle at the beginning, would be a stomp. Breaks are introduced to interrupt a continuous rhythm. Do...

The treble shuffle and kick combination in tap dancing is lengthy, although the individual steps aren't complex. The dancer does shuffles and leaps. Remember that a leap requires the dancer to...

A cramproll requires the dancer to combine steps with heels. There are numerous variations of the cramproll, just as there are dozens of time-step combinations in existence. When doing a double...