Tap dance

After so much flying high up in the air, maybe it's time we got back to the ground. This time, I have decided to write a bit about one of my favourite hobbies. Tap dancing, or tapping, is a special form of dancing in which the dancers wear metal taps on their shoes. These taps are attached to the sole at the heel and at the ball of the foot so that the dancer can beat different rhythmic patterns as he or she dances. In order to achieve this feat, tappers need very good balance, a good feel for rhythm, trained but loose ankles and above all, lots and lots of practice.













The origins of tapping are not precisely known. The dance was developed in the United States during the nineteenth century and its roots go back to clogging and African dances. The first great tappers were African-American men but over the years tap transcended the gender and racial stereotypes. One of the first great tappers was Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. In fact, it was Robinson, who took the dance into the movies and who made this art form a part of mainstream culture. His tapping technique and his style were both extraordinary. Look at the following video but be aware of the fact that after seeing Bill "Bojangles" you might easily find yourself looking for a dance studio with your freshly bought tap shoes. I have warned you.






As tapping progressed and found its way to musicals and theatres many different styles evolved. Although these styles are different, there are two schools or main styles from which the other styles have derived. One is more theatrical and 'ballroom-like', in which the dancers use their whole bodies and their arms as well. This is the style that can be seen in Broadway shows and in classical musicals featuring such stars as Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers or Gene Kelly. The other style, called rhythm tap, remained closer to the roots. In this style, the rhythm is more important than the choreography and the body movements mainly serve the precise and intricate footwork. The dancers in this second group are often referred to as 'hoofers'. A hoof is the foot of a horse or deer or other such animal:-) Hoofers use their feet as percussions. Some of the most famous hoofers: Sammy Davis Jr., Sandman Sim, Steve Condos, Gregory Hines, Savion Glover...(among others). The division between the two major styles is not too rigid, some musical routines contain very intricate footwork, while some of the best hoofers perform or performed with an exquisitely elegant style. In this famous choreography from the musical "Singin' in the Rain", Donald O'Connor and Gene Kelly make fun of a language teacher, whose job is to teach them the mock tongue twister "Moses supposes".






Tongue twisters are good to practice the pronunciation of difficult words in connected speech. Some of them are way too difficult for learners of English, but some of them are easier and fun to learn. Here you can find some of those.

Would you like to do some exercises about the language content of the entry?