Tap Dance

Time steps were created to keep time. They are fairly simple and one of the most widely used tap steps in musical theatre. Buck time steps are ones that do not have a shuffle in them. You should...

The shuffle toe dig is a fiery dance combination. When you watch dancer Dani Rhodes do it (via the video found in the Resources section), you can hear how rhythmic and exciting it is. It makes you...

The word "toro" means bull-like and is often associated with the image of the bullfighter, red cape in hand, standing tall and proud, with his hand flung up into the air. "Toro" is a Spanish word...

Pull-backs sound and look great, but they can be challenging for a novice dancer. In this dance combination, a double pull-back is required, which means that both feet are pulling back (brushing...

In this time-step variation, the dancer does a "fake" wing; it looks and sounds like a wing, but she is not doing it on her supporting foot, so it's not the real McCoy. However, whether real or...

When a dance step is described as off the beat or offbeat, it means the dancer accents the "and" or the "a" count,s rather than the primary counts ("1," "2" and "3." For a full explanation of...

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...

In the 1920s, dancers and performers Leonard Reed and Willie Bryant created the Shim Sham Shimmy, named after the Shim Sham Club in New York City. The original version involves many steps,...

The variety of time steps in tap dancing is seemingly infinite. There are single and double times steps, triples, buck versus standard versions and so on. The time step is an eight-measure...

The jazz time step doesn't feature a lot of standard tap-dancing steps, such as shuffle ball-changes, although there is a flap (brush step) found in the combination. This step has a "jazzy" flavor...

Tap-dancing steps have the most interesting names, including this one, which refers to a British idiomatic expression that roughly translates as "There you have it." There is a rich and colorful...

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...

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 Cindy step in tap dancing is a bit different from what might be considered more "typical" tap dance steps because it requires that the dancer do two chugs (explained below), one to the front...

A basic stomp roll in tap dancing consists of four shuffle steps followed by a shuffle and three stamps. However, the step can be changed by adding heels digs, eliminating shuffles and doing three...

The final section of the ABC dance in tap dancing is the "C" part. The "C" section includes the following: heel digs, back brushes (which are a staple of the overall step) and stomps (which do not...

The Shim Sham is a dance routine that was popular in the 1920s. It was created by Leonard Reed and Willie Bryant. The Kim Shim Sham has its roots in the original Shim Sham, which included various...

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...

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 second time step is an interesting combination of stamps and stomps. The dancer must remember that a stamp bears weight, whereas a stomp does not. The dancer has to keep that difference in...

An offbeat time step consists of the following: Stomp hop step flap step. To vary it, add a backward brush, which is also called a spank. The brush occurs after the "stomp." An...

The combination time step in tap dancing is considered a "buck" time step rather than a "standard" time step, because it begins with a stomp. A stomp, unlike a stamp, does not...

A whole book could be written on the various time steps found in tap dancing. The time step sets the tempo for a dance combination, and is generally placed at the beginning of the routine for that...

When a dancer is dancing "off the beat," that means she's emphasizing the sounds between the main beats. The count for an offbeat combination would include "and a" and the...

Alex’s riff tap dance step is named for dancer and choreographer Alex Romero. The dancer will make seven taps in this combination. Remember when you do a stomp do not put your weight down...

Leonard Reed and Willie Bryant created the shim sham during the Roaring '20s as a finale for their act. The shim sham designation actually came from a locale where Reed and Bryant had performed....

Sammy Davis Jr. was a world-class entertainer and a member of the notorious Rat Pack, along with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Crawford and Joey Bishop. He sang, tap-danced, told jokes and was...

Dancer Leonard Reed and his partner Willie Bryant created the shim sham or shim sham shimmy dance step back in the 1920s because they needed a finale for their routine. The name came from a club...

Sometimes when you’re a dancer and performer you’ve got to go for the flash and razzle dazzle just to show the crowd that you can pull it off. You’re there to entertain the...

The stomp hop time step is yet another version of the ubiquitous time step. When you start a step with a stomp, that means it’s the buck version, originating from the heavy, flat-footed...

There are many versions of the time step in tap dancing including the buck cramproll time step. Remember that a buck step begins with a stomp in front. Do not put any weight on your foot when...

The single pullback in tap dancing, also called the pick up, creates two sounds: A spank (back brush) and your landing step. The pullback/pickup used to be referred to as the graboff or snatch. In...

Cramprolls, much like the time step in tap dancing, can be done a variety of ways. Sometimes called the “drumroll,” the cramproll entails dropping your heel or heels. When the...

In tap dancing, the time step is a staple. All tap dancers learn to do the time step sooner or later. The time step can be performed in a number of ways including as a single, double or triple; in...

There are numerous variations of the time step in tap dancing, including the toe tap series. There is the buck version and the standard version of the toe tap time step. The buck version...

The time step in its many incarnations can be performed as a buck rhythm or a standard or basic time step. The buck style is associated with African-American performers who performed on the...

Learn some tips on how to do a basic step and stomp and the differences between them in this free video clip on beginning tap dance.

There are countless tap dance moves and combinations. Learn how to do a stomp scuffle turn tap dance move from our expert dancer in this free video clip on beginning tap dancing.

There are countless tap dance moves and combinations. Learn how to do a stomp hop time step tap dance move from our expert dancer in this free video clip on beginning tap dancing.

A shuffle step will add three sounds to a stomp buck time step. Learn how to do triple stomp buck time steps in tap dancing in this free video lesson from a dance teacher.

Stomp buck time steps are important to know at any tap dancing audition. Learn how to do single stomp buck time steps in tap dancing in this free video lesson from a dance teacher.

A shuffle and a flap make up the two sounds of a double stomp. Learn how to do double stomp buck time steps in tap dancing in this free video lesson from a dance teacher.

Put your whole foot on the floor for stomp step exercises. Learn how to warm up for tap dancing with stomp steps in this free video lesson from a dance teacher.

There are countless tap dance moves and combinations like the booty stomp clap. Learn how to do a booty stomp clap tap dance move from our expert dancer in this free video clip on beginning tap...

There are countless tap dance moves and combinations. Learn how to do a 'stomp double pullback' tap dance move from our expert dancer in this free video clip on beginning tap dancing.

You've mastered the single time step—shuffle, hop, step, flap, step—and now you're ready to move onto a double time step. The step is similar but adds an element to help you do the step faster and...

Tap dancing appears to be fairly complicated. It all starts with a series of basic steps linked together. Add timing, fluidity and creativity, and it looks masterful.