Tap dance is a unique type of dance that is characterized and identified by the sounds of the shoes striking the floor as the performer/dancer moves and creates percussion sounds. The metal on the bottom of tap shoes is what makes this sound.
The major types of tap dance include:
- Flamenco
- Jazz tap; this is a type of tap that lines up directly with the music and the rhythm
- Classical tap; this is a type of dance that marries the classical music with foot drumming and tapping.
- Broadway tap; this tap is of English influence and f
ocuses more on formations and group dynamic than complex rhythms and moves. - Post modern tap; this type of tap is new and hard to define as it tends to not fit into one box with one set of characteristics.
There are different shoes for the different types of tap mentioned above. For example, a softer shoe does not make as much sound whereas other shoes are intended and designed to make a louder, more aggressive noise for impact.
There are classes for dancers of all ages and levels who want to learn how to tap dance and it requires a separate set of skills and technique unique to this style of dance.