How to Do a Tap Dance Time Step

Tap dance like a pro. A building block in the tap dance foundation, the time step has countless variations.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tap shoes
• Hard floor

1. 1. Start standing with your feet shoulder width apart and your weight evenly distributed between the two. Shift your weight to your left foot so that you are free to pick up your right foot.

2. 2. With your right foot, stamp it quickly so that it strikes the ground, but no weight is transferred to it. Your weight should remain in your left leg.

3. 3. With your right foot in the air and your weight still in your left foot, hop on the left leg. Now, step on the right foot so that all your weight is transferred to that side.

4. 4. Now that the left foot is free, you will do a flap. A flap is a small brush and step using only the left toe tap. After the flap is completed, your weight should be on the left.

5. 5. With your weight in your left foot, your right foot should be free. With the right foot, take a step so that your weight is now transferred to that side.

6. 4. At this point the left foot should be free to move. With your left foot, you can now begin the step on the left side starting with the stomp that you did in the first step.

7. 5. Try doing the step on both sides without stopping. The pattern should go as follows: stomp (r) - hop (l) - step (r) - flap (l)- step (r)- stomp (l) - hop (r) - step (l) - flap (r)- step (l)- stomp (r) and so on.

Tips & Warnings

• A time step is any step that allows you to transition from right to left and back.
• A stomp is a step with one foot where the foot strikes the ground and immediately leaves the ground so that no weight is placed on the striking foot.
• A step is where one foot is placed so that foot becomes weight bearing.
• Variations can be made to the time step by adding a shuffle or flap in place of the stomp action.

[themexican]

on 8/26/2009 Good tips, simple layout. 5*