Tap dance
Tap dance is a dynamic form of percussive dance characterized by the rhythmic sounds produced by specialized footwear featuring metal plates on the toe and heel. Its origins trace back to the 18th century in the United States, where African American cultural practices blended traditional percussive techniques with European clog dancing. Over time, this fusion evolved into modern tap dance, which includes various styles such as classical tap, Broadway tap, and rhythmic tap. Classical tap incorporates elements of jazz and ballet, while Broadway tap emphasizes dramatic upper-body movements, often performed in theatrical settings. Rhythmic tap, on the other hand, focuses solely on the sounds created by the dancer's footwork, sometimes performed without musical accompaniment. Tap dance can be practiced both recreationally and competitively, and many dancers engage in it as a form of artistic expression or fitness. Various techniques are essential for mastering tap dance, including maintaining control over foot strikes to create distinct sounds and rhythms while moving gracefully. The art form remains a vibrant part of American culture and continues to evolve, attracting enthusiasts of all backgrounds.
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Tap dance
Tap dance is a style of dancing that involves using specialized footwear to create a rhythmic sound during a dance performance. It originated in the eighteenth century, when African Americans blended their traditional percussive practices with dance work, and incorporated various forms of European clog dancing. Modern tap dancers utilize shoes with metal plates attached to the toe and heel, allowing them to create a unique cadence by controlling their footsteps.
Tap dancing comes in numerous varieties. One of the most common, classical tap dancing, involves elements of acrobatics, jazz, and ballet, combined with tap dancing's signature style of footwork. Rhythmic tap-dancing focuses entirely on the noises created by the tap shoes, treating them as a musical instrument. Broadway tap dancing is commonly performed by large groups during musical theater performances.
Tap dancing can be performed alone, or as a member of a group. It is usually performed with musical accompaniment, although rhythmic tap-dancing performances often lack music. Tap dancing is performed either recreationally or competitively.
Background
Tap dance originated in the nineteenth century in the United States. When enslaved people were brought to America, many brought cultural practices based around percussion instruments, commonly drums. Slave owners feared that slaves might be able to communicate using these instruments. They quickly removed the slaves' access to drums, believing that taking away the slaves' instruments would stop them from conspiring.
Instead of abandoning an important part of their culture, the slaves began to innovate. They began to develop percussive dance styles. These styles of dance involved using the feet to strike the ground in a rhythmic manner, eliminating the need for drums. Many slaves blended their percussive dancing with clog dancing, a style of hard-shoed percussive dance from Europe that was commonly practiced by immigrants. Together, those styles blended into the precursor to modern tap dance.
Modern-style tap shoes did not exist in the early days of tap dancing. Instead, dancers used shoes with wooden or hard leather soles to make the characteristic sounds associated with tap dancing. In some cases, tap dancers attached pennies to the heels and toes of their shoes' soles. This made a more metallic clacking noise when struck against the floor, similar to those made by modern tap shoes.
During the nineteenth century, this blend developed into a form of dance called jigging. Jigging was a popular form of entertainment used in white and black minstrel shows. These traveling shows helped spread the form of dancing around the country. During the early twentieth century, Broadway dancers began to use specialized tap shoes that resembled modern equipment. At the same time, tap dancing began to intertwine itself with jazz music. It became commonplace for tap dancers to use jazz music in their routines, adding the novel rhythms and beats found in jazz music to their percussive dancing. In later years, many tap dancers added elements of new genres of music to their routines.
Overview
Tap dancing is a form of percussive dancing. Most modern tap dancers wear shoes fitted with specialized metal plates. These plates are fitted on the sole of the shoe, and usually include both a toe plate and a heel plate. While dancing to music, the performer strikes the ground in various ways with the heel or toe of the foot. These motions can produce a variety of sounds, which the dancer ensures are in rhythm with the music.
Tap dancing is commonly divided into several genres, each of which may be studied and performed. Classical tap dancing, also called swing tap, heavily incorporates elements of jazz dancing and ballet. It may also include acrobatic or aerial maneuvers. During classical tap dancing, the performer focuses on both the sounds made by the tap shoes striking the floor and the graceful movements of his or her body.
Broadway tap dancing, also called musical tap, is most commonly seen in theater productions. It focuses on visual aesthetics, especially dramatic upper-body movements. Rhythm tap dancing focuses solely on the sounds produced by the tap shoes. In this style of dance, the dancers use their shoes as percussion instruments, creating the music to which they perform. For this reason, rhythmic tap dancing is commonly performed without musical accompaniment.
Many tap-dancing techniques are built out of a few basic motions. First, novice tap dancers must learn to step in a controlled manner. Tap dancing requires performers to step with either the heel or toe of the foot, not both. The heel and toe produce subtly different sounds when striking, and dances will call for specific sounds as precise moments. Accidentally striking with both parts of the foot, or accidentally allowing the heel to strike against the ground after a toe strike, will produce a sound that breaks the rhythm of the performance. Additionally, many tap dancers are taught never to step with their leg fully extended. This changes the cadence of the sound made by the tap shoes, and risks unnecessary damage to the delicate tendons and ligaments in the joints. Finally, dancers must learn to control how hard their feet strike the ground in order to control the volume and tone of the noise created by the tap shoes. In most style of tap dancing, all of this must be managed while still gracefully maneuvering the rest of the body and moving across the stage.
Some dancers learn tap dancing for performances, using the genre of dance as an expressive art form. Others blend it with more demanding dance styles and practice tap dancing as a form of recreational fitness training. Many dancers enter tap dancing competitions, where their work is scored by a panel of expert judges.
Bibliography
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Daychak, Ashley. "Different Styles of Tap Dancing for Kids," Performing Dance Arts, 2019, https://www.performingdancearts.ca/blog/different-styles-of-tap-dancing-for-kids/. Accessed November 7, 2019.
"Different Types of Dance Shoes," Dance Facts, 2019, http://www.dancefacts.net/facts-about-dance/dance-shoes-types/. Accessed November 7, 2019.
"From Margins to Mainstream: A Brief Tap Dance History," UMS, June 21, 2019, https://ums.org/2019/06/21/from-margins-to-mainstream-tap-dance-history/. Accessed November 7, 2019.
Holmes, Vance. "All About Tap Dance," Theater Dance, https://www.theatredance.com/tap/. Accessed November 7, 2019.
"Tap Dance in America: A Short History," Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200217630/. Accessed November 7, 2019.
"Tap Dancing: It's All in the Feet!" National Park Service, 2019, https://www.nps.gov/cham/learn/historyculture/tap-dancing-its-all-in-the-feet.htm. Accessed November 7, 2019.
"Tap Dance Steps," Dance Class, 2019, https://www.danceclass.com/tap-dance-steps.html. Accessed November 7, 2019.