| TAP DANCE |
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| Tap dance is a style of dance in which the percussive sound of the footwork is the distinguishing characteristic. Small metal plates are attached to the toe and heel of the dancing shoes to articulate the dancers rhythm and movement. Tap dancing is wonderful in teaching children rhythm and musicality as well as developing sound co-ordination. Tap dance originated in Europe and Africa but the seperate elements of the form were first brought together in the USA, with the amazing tapping of people like Tom Patricola, Pat Rooney, John Bubbles and Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson - America's most famous black tap dancer. In the 1930's Fred Astaire brought about a new style of tap by mixing ballet and ballroom dancing to his tapping style. |
| In the ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing) Tap syllabus there are six childrens Grade Examination syllabi, Primary, Grades 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. These grades are designed to promote an appreciation and enjoyment of Tap dance. For the young teenager there is the Vocational Graded Examination syllabus. The first is the Vocational Preparatory Tap. This examination is aimed at the teenage dance student who may not have studied the Tap Grades syllabus but wishes to progress to the higher levels of tap examinations. From here the dancer can choose to carry on with the three Vocational Graded Examination syllabi - Intermediate, Advanced 1 and Advanced 2. In addition to the Graded and Vocational Graded syllabus there are also Tap Tests for Amateurs. These include: - The seven medal tests for children and young teenagers - Junior, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Gold Star and - Senior Bronze, Silver and Gold. - The six popular tap tests for adults, levels 1-6 - And the three medal tests for adults, Bronze, Silver and Gold. |