In the world of dance, tap remains unique because it’s about making rhythmic sounds with specialty shoes rather than focusing on specific movements and lines. If your child has expressed interest in tap dance classes, learning about the origin and evolution of this style can help you connect with their routines. Below is more information about tap that you can share with your child to pique their interest further.

Origins

Tap dancing began in the early 19th century, stemming from African and Irish dance styles. Plantation owners prohibited slaves from using traditional African percussion instruments, resulting in “percussion dancing,” or using the feet to create different sounds. Tap emerged from blending gioube, or secular and sacred dances based out of West Africa, with the Irish, English, and Scottish clog and jig dancing styles. The earliest tap shoes featured wooden soles and sometimes had pennies attached to the heels and toes to help create the right sound.

Vaudeville & the Harlem Renaissance

Tap’s popularity increased following the Civil War when street performers relied on the dance style to earn money. Roaming minstrel shows gave way to vaudeville at the end of the 19th century, with many of these performers using tap dancing to find success. By the early 20th century, tap dancers worked with jazz musicians to create improvised performances based on intricate, syncopated rhythms. Tap became a staple of the Harlem Renaissance in New York City, as this movement championed artistic expression and social justice. 

The Hollywood Connection

Shirley Temple, Gene Kelly, and Fred Astaire were among several white performers who brought tap to the big screen in the early and mid-1900s. One of Shirley Temple's most famous tap scenes is in "The Little Colonel," which saw her and famous vaudeville tapper Bill “Bojangles” Robinson dancing on stairs. Gene Kelly put a ballet spin on tap, while Fred Astaire fused it with ballroom dancing for unique results.

In addition to Bill Robinson, many other African American performers helped make tap popular, including the Nicholas Brothers, who enjoyed a 70-year television and film career, and more recently, Gregory Hines, who remains celebrated for his complex tap numbers. And while the popularity of this style declined in the 1960s and 1970s, Broadway shows like "42nd Street" spurred a revival in the 1980s. Performers such as Gregory Hines and Savion Glover kept tap dance in the public eye, with Glover best known for his Broadway hit "Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk."

If you want to enroll your child in tap dance classes, contact Karen’s School of Dance in Highland, MI. This dance school offers a variety of lessons to help children hone their creative skills, including hip hop, ballet, and jazz. They also have a gymnastics program for especially active kids. Call (248) 887-1807 to discuss enrollment with a team member. Visit them online for more information about their tap dance classes, and follow them on Facebook for news and updates.