| Tap dancing was made famous by (among others) | | | | shoes, called the Mary Jane, which are good for |
| Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Gregory Hines and Sammy | | | | beginners, the Oxford, which are flat and better for |
| Davis Junior, who are all well known dancers of | | | | experienced dancers, and split sole jazz tap shoes |
| 'rhythmic tap'. Rhythmic tap is a kind of tap dancing | | | | which advanced dancers usually wear as they are |
| whose performers are called 'hoofers' as they make | | | | more flexible for harder dance steps. |
| a louder sound with their shoes and dance primarily | | | | The most important part of tap shoes is the sound. |
| using leg movements. | | | | The three different sounds for taps are teletone, |
| Tap dancing rose in popularity in the 1930s, 40s and | | | | duotone and supertone. The placement and number |
| 50s when dancers like Fred Astaire and Ginger | | | | of screws at the bottom of the shoes are what |
| Rogers, who were prominent on the vaudeville circuit, | | | | produce the different sounds and they are adjustable |
| migrated to television and film to showcase their | | | | in order to vary the sounds. Teletone tap shoes are |
| talents. | | | | the most common; they have three screws on each |
| Tap has developed with influence from Irish step and | | | | tap. Dancers may start to prefer a specific sound |
| stomp dancing, English clog dancing, ballet, and African | | | | once they are used to dancing and the taps that |
| dance. In America, dances bought to the states from | | | | their shoes make. |
| Africa through the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade were | | | | Comfort is also paramount as dancing in |
| adapted to be incorporated in minstrel shows in the | | | | uncomfortable shoes is not enjoyable for anyone. It's |
| 1820's. Much later, Gene Kelly was also famous for | | | | advisable to dance a little in a pair of shoes before |
| adding elements from his extensive ballet training and | | | | buying them and to bear in mind that they may need |
| other modern dance forms to tap. | | | | to be broken in a little before they are ready to be |
| Tap is very rhythmic in its style and the footwork is | | | | danced in. |
| intentionally percussive, therefore adding a welcoming | | | | Also, fit is important when it comes to tap shoes |
| sound element to the choreography. | | | | because the tap sounds will sound different if a shoe |
| Tap shoes are a necessary ingredient for any tap | | | | is too big or too small, so optimum fit will produce |
| dancer as they provide the sound that sets this | | | | optimum sounds from the shoe. |
| dance apart! Tap shoes are fitted with a metal plate | | | | Once a dancer has decided on the tap shoes they |
| on the sole, at the heel and the toe, which makes a | | | | want, the fun part of learning the technique of tap |
| clicking noise against the floor when the dancer does | | | | dancing commences. It has been popular throughout |
| a move. Popular tap dance movements are the | | | | history as an entertaining and exciting form of dance. |
| shuffle, flap, brush, cramp roll and ball change. | | | | A successful tap dancer needs to be agile as many |
| Tap shoes usually come in black but are available in | | | | quick movements are involved in a good |
| other colours and are made of leather for the outer | | | | choreography routine. If you watch dancers like |
| material, canvas for the inside then wood and plastic | | | | Sammy Davis Jr. or Fred Astaire performing, it's not |
| on the sole. There are several different styles of tap | | | | hard to guess how they stayed so in shape! |