How to Do the Paul in Tap Dancing

If you can do a shuffle step ball-change then the Paul step should be a breeze for you. A chug is added to spice up this combination. When a dancer executes a chug, she slides forward or backward on her entire foot and ends the movement by slamming down her heel. A scuff pops up in this combination. The dancer must scuff (brush) her heel against the floor. The ball of her foot is not involved in the scuff.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Shuffle step on your right foot (and a 1) and ball change, left, right (and 2).

2. Repeat Step 1 beginning on your left foot (and a 3 and 4).

3. Shuffle on your right and swing your leg back at the end of the shuffle (and a).

4. Chug to the front on your left foot (5). Note that a chug occurs when the dancer forces her entire foot to move to the front, or to the back, in a sliding motion and then concludes the slide by forcibly dropping her heel.

5. Jab your right toe to the back, twice (and 6).

6. Hop on your left and jab your right toe to the back again (and 7).

7. Scuff your right foot to the front (that means to scuff your heel against the floor as you are brushing your foot forward. Your ball does not come in contact with the floor). Extend your right leg straight and to the front.

8. Put the steps to the Paul together: Shuffle step ball change, repeat starting on the other foot, shuffle, swing leg back, chug, toe jab twice, hop, toe jab, scuff and extend leg to the front (and a 2 and 3 and a 2 and 4 and a 5 and 6 and 7 and on).

Resources

• Tap Dancing Demo Emily Larew