| For those tap dancers serious about their profession, | | | | they think will suit their needs, they can't carry it |
| a portable tap floor, board, or mat is a critical part of | | | | more than a few steps with any level of comfort! |
| the equipment that enables them to perfect their | | | | C. SPRUNG AND SHOCK ABSORBING. |
| technique. Owning a portable practice floor gives tap | | | | Doing a complicated tap routine can put a huge strain |
| dancers the chance to practice their moves outside a | | | | on your hips, knees, and ankles. When considering |
| studio, honing their craft and raising their performance | | | | buying a portable tap dance floor you should |
| ability. There are many tap mats available on the | | | | remember that you need the same kind of spring |
| market, and almost all of them seem to offer various | | | | and shock absorption you would expect from a |
| advantages. This tends to make choosing the right | | | | high-quality tap studio floor. As a dancer, taking care |
| tap board for your practice a struggle for many tap | | | | of your body should be your primary concern, and |
| dancers who want to find ways of practicing outside | | | | neglecting this important feature when considering |
| the studio. | | | | tap boards can lead to discomfort, pain, and even |
| A good tap mat will have a number of qualities that | | | | injury. Make sure that the tap mats you are choosing |
| help it stand out from the competition, and which | | | | from offer you protection from shock while dancing. |
| should all be considered when considering making a | | | | D. RESONANT. |
| purchase. | | | | Part of the joy of watching a good tap routine is |
| A. LIGHTWEIGHT. | | | | hearing the sounds of the dancer's feet as they |
| If a tap board isn't lightweight, it defeats the point of | | | | strike the floor, and many dances require this |
| its being portable! Much like laptop computers, the | | | | resonance to reach their full effect. Like any other |
| lighter the board the more likely you are to take it | | | | aspect of dance, this must be practiced, and dancers |
| with you when you travel or have competitions to | | | | who select tap mats that don't fulfill this requirement |
| rehearse for. Having a so-called portable tap board | | | | will find that their practice sessions sound so different |
| which isn't actually easy to slide into the car and take | | | | from their routines that it can actually undercut the |
| along wherever you go can put a damper on your | | | | practice they've put into learning their steps. Finding a |
| practice, and defeat the purpose of buying the board | | | | tap board with great resonance which builds the |
| in the first place. Also, consider that the board needs | | | | suspense of your dance and allows you to have a |
| to be easy to carry into performance venues if used | | | | realistic impression of the sounds your dancing will |
| for that purpose. | | | | create is an important thing for any dancer to |
| B. EASY TO CARRY. | | | | consider. |
| Along with being lightweight, an ergonomic structure | | | | E. AFFORDABLE. |
| for practice floors is important. They should be easily | | | | No tap mat should break the bank, and finding an |
| transported and have easy methods of grip, to allow | | | | affordable piece of equipment that will allow you to |
| their owner to pick them up and carry them without | | | | practice your dancing is not hard. Many affordable, |
| strain. The last thing any dancer wants to do is find | | | | high-quality mats are available to help you with your |
| that although he or she has selected a practice board | | | | practice. |