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Man tap dancing.
Man tap dancing.

Tap dance was developed in the United States during the nineteenth century, and is popular nowadays in many parts of the world. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The name comes from the tapping sound made when the small metal plates on the dancer's shoes touch a hard floor. This lively, rhythmic tapping makes the performer not just a dancer, but also a percussive musician (and thus, for example, the American composer Morton Gould was able to compose a "concerto for tap dancer and orchestra"). Morton Gould ( December 10, 1913 &ndash February 21, 1996) was an American Pianist, Composer, conductor

The Encyclopedia Britannica definition for tap dance is: A style of American theatrical dance using precise rhythmical patterns of foot movement and audible foot tapping. It is derived from the traditional clog dance of northern England, the jigs and reels of Ireland and Scotland, and possibly the rhythmic foot stamping of African dances. Popular in 19th-century minstrel shows, versions such as "buck-and-wing" (danced vigorously in wooden-soled shoes) and "soft-shoe" (shoes) developed as separate techniques; by 1925 they had merged, and metal taps were attached to shoe heels and toes to produce a more pronounced sound. The dance was also popular in variety shows and early musicals.


History

The precursors to tap dancing may include:

Tap dancing as such may have begun in the 1830s in the Five Points neighborhood of New York City as a fusion of Irish and African Shuffle. The gumboot dance is an African Dance that is performed by dancers wearing Wellington boots In South Africa, these are more commonly called Sean Nós, in Irish means "old style" and refers to a style of traditional singing or dancing. The zapateado is a Dance of Spanish origin characterized by a lively rhythm punctuated by the striking of the dancer's shoes akin to Tap dance Flamenco is a Spanish term that refers both to a musical genre known for its intricate rapid passages and a dance genre characterized by its audible footwork Eduardo Corrochio (1869 - 1912 was a Spanish-born dancer who won the first Tap Dancing Championship in New York City in 1890 Henry Rogers may refer to Henry Darwin Rogers -- US geologist Henry Huttleston Rogers -- U Step dance is the generic term for dance styles where the footwork is the most important part of the dance Clogging is a type of Folk dance rooted in traditional European dancing from the British Isles, in which the dancer's footwear is used musically by striking the heel Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea Five Points may be Census-recognized communities in the US: Five Points Alabama Five Points Florida Five Perhaps the most influential of all was the Irish jig. The jig (port is a Folk dance type as well as the accompanying dance tune type popular in Ireland. Dancers from different immigrant groups would get together to compete and show off their best moves. According to theory, as the dances fused, a new American style of dancing emerged. Master Juba was a prominent dancer in this period. Master Juba (c 1825 – c 1852/1853 was an African American dancer active in the 1840s

Tap flourished in the U. S. from 1900 to 1955, when it was the main performance dance of Vaudeville and Broadway. Vaudeville was a Genre of variety entertainment prevalent on the stage in the United States and Canada, from the early 1880s Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Vaudeville was the inexpensive entertainment before television, and it employed droves of skilled tap dancers. Many famous bands included tap dances as part of their show. For a while, every large city in the U. S. had amateur street tap performers. At the time, tap dance was also called jazz dance, because jazz was the music with which tap dancers performed.

Tap dance class at Iowa State University, 1942.
Tap dance class at Iowa State University, 1942.

During the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, the best tap dancers moved from Vaudeville to cinema and television. Steve Condos, with his innovative style of percussion tap, created a whole new tap style that he introduced to audiences in Vaudeville, and later to the audiences of film and Broadway. Steve Condos ( October 12 1918 - September 16 1990) was an American tap dancer. Prominent tap dancers of this period included Fred Astaire, John W. Bubbles, Charles "Honi" Coles, Vera-Ellen, Ruby Keeler, Gene Kelly, Jeni LeGon,[1] Ann Miller, Fayard and Harold Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers, Donald O'Connor, Eleanor Powell, Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable, PrinceSpencer,[2] Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Ginger Rogers, and Jimmy Slyde. Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 &ndash June 22, 1987) was an American Academy Award John William Sublett ( February 19, 1902 &ndash May 18, 1986) known by his stage name John W Charles “Honi” Coles ( April 2 1911 - November 12 1992) was an American actor and Tap dancer. Vera-Ellen ( February 16, 1921 - August 30, 1981) was an American actress and stage and Film Ruby Keeler, born Ethel Hilda Keeler, ( August 25, 1909 – February 28, 1993) was an actress singer and dancer most famous for her Eugene Curran “Gene” Kelly ( August 23, &ndash February 2,) was an American Dancer, Actor, Singer, director Ann Miller (April 12 1923 – January 22 2004 was an American dancer singer and actress Fayard Antonio Nicholas ( October 20, 1914 &ndash January 24, 2006) was a tap dancer one-half of the famous Nicholas Brothers Harold Nicholas ( March 17, 1921 – July 3, 2000) was a unique American Dancer specializing in tap, the younger half of The Nicholas Brothers were a famous African-American team of dancing brothers Fayard ( 1914 &ndash 2006) and Harold Nicholas ( 1921 Donald David Dixon Ronald O’Connor ( August 28, 1925 &ndash September 27, 2003) was an American Dancer, Singer Eleanor Torrey Powell ( November 21, 1912 &ndash February 11, 1982) was an American film actress and dancer of the 1930s and 1940s Rita Hayworth (October 17 1918 &ndash May 14 1987 born Margarita Carmen Cansino was a Spanish-American actress who rose to stardom in the 1940s as the era's leading Sex symbol Betty Grable ( December 18, 1916 &ndash July 2, 1973) was an American Dancer Singer, and actress Bill "Bojangles" Robinson ( May 25, 1878 – November 25, 1949) was a pre-eminent African-American tap dancer Ginger Rogers ( July 16, 1911 &ndash April 25, 1995) was an Academy Award -winning American film and stage actress Jimmy Slyde (b James Titus Godbolt October 27 1927 - May 16 2008 known as the King of Slides, was a world-renowned tap dancer especially famous for

During the 1930s tap dance mixed with Lindy Hop. Lindy Hop is an African American dance that evolved in New York City in 1927 "Flying swing outs" and "flying circles" are Lindy Hop moves with tap footwork.

In the 1950s, the style of entertainment changed. Jazz music and tap dance declined, while rock and roll music and the new jazz dance emerged. Jazz dance is an umbrella term that can refer to several related dance styles What is now called jazz dance evolved out of tap dance, so both dances have many moves in common. But jazz evolved separately from tap dance to become a new form in its own right. Well-known dancers during the 1960s and 1970s included Arthur Duncan and Tommy Tune. Arthur Duncan is a Tap dancer known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982 which made him the first African-American Thomas James “Tommy” Tune (born February 28, 1939) is an American Actor, Dancer, Singer, director,

No Maps on My Taps, the Emmy award winning PBS documentary of 1979, helped begin the recent revival of tap dance. The outstanding success of the animated film, Happy Feet, has further reinforced the popular appeal[3] National Tap Dance Day in the United States, now celebrated May 25th, was signed into law by President George Bush on November 7, 1989. The bouncing ball animation (below consists of these 6 frames Happy Feet is an Australian -produced 2006 computer-animated Comedy-drama musical Film, directed and co-written National Tap Dance Day falls on May 25 every year and is a celebration of tap dancing as an artform Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. (May 25th was chosen because it is the birthday of famous tapper Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. ) Prominent modern tap dancers have included Brenda Bufalino, Jay Fagan,[4] Ted Bebblejad, Savion Glover, Peter Briansen, Gregory and Maurice Hines of Hines, Hines, and Dad, Alfonso Ribeiro, Jason Samuels Smith, Shirley Temple, and Grant Swift. Brenda Bufalino is an artist of the Tap dance world In a career spanning several decades she has worked with many influential artists Savion Glover (born November 19, 1973) is an American Actor, Tap dancer and Choreographer. Gregory Oliver Hines ( February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was an American Actor, Singer, Dancer Maurice Hines (born 1943 is an American Actor, director, Jazz Singer and Choreographer. Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro (born September 21, 1971 in New York) is an American Actor, Singer and Dancer. In less than a decade Jason Samuels Smith (performer choreographer director has emerged as a multi-talented leader in the art form of tap. Shirley Jane Temple (born April 23, 1928) is an Academy Award -winning Actress and Tap dancer, most famous for being an iconic [5] Indie-pop band Tilly and the Wall also features a tap dancer, Jamie Williams, tapping as percussion. "Twee" redirects here For a definition of the word see its entry at wiktionary. Tilly and the Wall is an Indie pop group from Omaha, Nebraska. For the football player see Jamie Williams (football player. Jamie Lynn Pressnall (born

Characteristics of tap dance

Tap shoes
Tap shoes
Main article: Tap dance technique

One thing a tapper needs is a pair of tap shoes. '"Hoofer" redirects here For Wisconsin outdoor clubs see Wisconsin Hoofers Tap dance technique makes frequent use of Syncopation Tap dancers make frequent use of syncopation. In Music, syncopation includes a variety of Rhythms which are in some way unexpected in that they deviate from the strict succession of regularly spaced Choreographies typically start on the eighth or first beatcount. See also, Choreography (literally "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" (circular dance see chorea) and "γραφή" A beat is the basic Time Unit of a piece of Music; for example each tick sounded by a Metronome would correspond to a beat Another aspect of tap dancing is improvisation. Improvisation (also called extemporization) is the practice of acting singing talking and reacting of making and creating in the moment and in response to the stimulus of This can either be done with music and follow the beats provided or without musical accompaniment, otherwise known as a capella dancing. Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time.

Hoofers are tap dancers who dance only with their legs, making a louder, more grounded sound. This kind of tap dancing also called "rhythm tap", is typically found in cities or poor areas, but this is not always the case especially with such a wide [variety] of styles spreading throughout the world. Steve Condos rose out of his humble beginnings in Pittsburgh, PA to become a master in rhythmic tap. Steve Condos ( October 12 1918 - September 16 1990) was an American tap dancer. His innovative style influenced the work of Gregory Hines, Savion Glover and Marshall Davis, Jr. Gregory Oliver Hines ( February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was an American Actor, Singer, Dancer Savion Glover (born November 19, 1973) is an American Actor, Tap dancer and Choreographer.

The majority of hoofers, such as Sammy Davis Jr., Savion Glover, and Gregory Hines, are black dancers. Samuel George “Sammy” Davis Jr (8 December 1925 &ndash 16 May 1990 was an American Entertainer. Savion Glover (born November 19, 1973) is an American Actor, Tap dancer and Choreographer. Gregory Oliver Hines ( February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was an American Actor, Singer, Dancer Dancers like Fred Astaire provided a more ballroom look to tap dancing, while Gene Kelly used his extensive ballet training to make tap dancing incorporate all the parts of the ballet. Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 &ndash June 22, 1987) was an American Academy Award Ballroom dance refers collectively to a set of Partner dances which originated in Germany and are now enjoyed both socially and competitively around the Eugene Curran “Gene” Kelly ( August 23, &ndash February 2,) was an American Dancer, Actor, Singer, director Ballet is a formalized form of Dance with its origins in the French court further developed in France and Russia as a Concert dance

Common tap steps include the shuffle, shuffle ball change, flap (pronounced "Fil-ape"), flap heel, cramp roll, buffalo, Maxie Ford, single and double pullbacks, wings, cincinnati, the shim sham shimmy (also called the Lindy), Irish, Waltz Clog, shuffle hop step, running flaps, running shuffles, sugar, the paddle and roll, slap, stomp, running flaps, brushes, scuffs, and single and double toe punches. Higher levels of tap dancing also should consist of toe work, which are steps performed on the toes of the tap shoes. This may vary from simply jumping up onto the toe or doing steps mentioned above on the toe such as shuffles or wings.

Other steps include hotsteps, heelclicks, single, double and triple time steps, riffs, and chugs. In advanced tap dancing, basic steps are often combined together to create new steps. The flap heel toe heel step brush heel is a combination of basic tap steps that is usually practiced while spinning around in a circle.

External links

Dictionary

tap dance

-noun

  1. A rhythmic dance in which the heels and toes of the dancer's shoes make a series of clicks
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