1. Like Metal Drum Sticks
A ball tap is the front tap piece on the bottom of a tap shoe. Two affixed lightweight metal taps at the bottom of a dance shoe are utilized in tap dancing to tap out various beat combinations in rhythm to music. Some tap steps involve just the ball tap, whereas others only include using the heel tap, and others use a combination of both. Like a drummer with drum sticks, a tap dancer plays different sets and combinations of beats with their tap shoes, which are controlled by their legs, ankles and feet.
2. Cave Men Did It
Many tap dancing step combinations include a ball tap step. This involves only tapping down on the ball of your tap shoe and striking the floor quickly with it. The ankle is used to control a ball tap. You don't even have to be standing up for a ball tap step. Most people do ball taps all of the time without knowing it. When they listen to their favorite music, they tap their feet to the beat because it comes naturally for most. Humans were probably tapping their feet long before they finally figured out how to dance.
3. Ball Tap by a Different Name
Typically tap dancers call a ball tap a toe tap. From a toe tap, many other steps derive, and many dance combinations involve a toe tap. Beginning tap lessons involve first learning a toe tap, heel tap and stomp, which involves quickly clomping the whole foot down with the heel and ball taps striking the floor at the same time evenly without then lifting the foot. A stamp is similar, except that a tap dancer quickly lifts their foot up after striking the floor. Stomp and stamp both create a very loud noise and are similar to when a drummer hits his bass drum during a song. Both steps get the audience's attention and signify that an exciting part of the music and routine is happening.
4. Tapping Into the Fundamentals
From the ball tap or toe tap comes many other tap step variations. Sweeping across and striking the floor with the ball tap is called a brush. The foot is brushing either forward or backwards only. Combining directions of brushing makes a step called shuffle, which is a fundamental tap step. Shuffles are typically used between all other tap steps and help set up other tap step combinations. Flaps are also a type of shuffle but include a combination of a forward shuffle and a step where a tap dancer then places the entire foot on the floor. It's not as loud as a stomp or stamp.
5. On the Move
Once you have learned the basics, you're ready to start moving and begin combining steps into routines. This is where the rhythm part of tap dancing begins, and your feet become a percussion instrument. Not only do you keep beat, but you also play with and create beat combinations that go with the beat of the music. Once you begin combining steps and combinations of steps into a recognizable pattern and sound, it's called time step. First a tap dancer learns routines choreographed by professional dancers like learning the drum part for a song. After a dancer perfects their tap dancing skills, they usually begin putting together their own tap routines.
Member Comments