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Tap Dancing For Beginners

Presented by Sarah McLellan

Tap dancing is a great art form. Learn how to begin your journey as a great dancer with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video series.

Series Summary

The rhythmic foot stomping we call tap dancing emerged in the 1830s from a blend of cultures in Manhattan’s original melting pot, the Five Points neighborhood (recently depicted in Scorsese’s film Gangs of New York.) Essentially a blend of African shuffle and Irish jig, tap dance became extremely popular in the first half of the 20th century. The metal plates attached to the bottom of the dancer’s shoes create a percussive rhythm which could either accompany music, or be used as an instrument itself. This popular form of entertainment soon found its way from amateur street performances to vaudeville, Broadway, and eventually film and television, where millions were inspired by the moves of Sammy Davis, Jr., Gregory Hines, Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly.

A recent resurgence of tap enthusiasm came in the 1990s with the infusion of new dancers, such as Savion Glover, who began to incorporate a more personal style into their performances, and essentially made tap dancing cool again.

In this free video dance class, learn how to tap dance as an absolute beginner. An experienced tap dancer will walk you through the most basic steps you need to know to get started. Lessons include steps like the shuffle move and the ball change, as well as basic toe techniques, tap dancing postures, and a practice routine.

Listing 1-25 of 26 videos

How to Buy Tap Shoes

Learn how to buy proper tap shoes with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

The History of Tap Dance

Learn about the history of tap dance with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do Change Steps in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do change steps in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

Basic Tap Dance Sounds

Learn about the basic sounds of tap dance with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

Tap Dance Warm Up Tips

Learn how to warm up before tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Treble in Tap Dancing

Learn how to treble in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do Paddles in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do paddles in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do Weight Changes in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do weight changes in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do Slap Ups in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do slap ups in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

Trusting Your Tap Dance Instructor

Learn how to trust your tap dance instructor and why trust is so important to the dance with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do Hits in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do hits in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do a Flap in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do a flap in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do Digs in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do digs in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do Drop Steps in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do drop steps in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Shuffle in Tap Dancing: Part 1

Learn how to shuffle in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do a Shuffle Combo in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do a shuffle combo in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do a Stamp Combo in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do a stamp combo in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do a Shuffle in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do a shuffle in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Do Cramp Rolls in Tap Dancing

Learn how to do cramp rolls in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

How to Shuffle in Tap Dancing: Part 2

Learn how to shuffle in tap dancing with expert tap dancing instruction from a professional dancer in this free online dance lesson and choreography video clip.

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