Top Ten Tap Moves To Know

“In tap, every step tells a story.” — Tap legend, Gregory Hines  

Dance is often the first impression you make in an audition. It’s the theatre’s version of “actions speak louder than words”, and an important pillar of becoming a triple threat. 

(Read PAA’s blog What Is a Triple Threat in Theatre)

A performer with strong dance skills enhances the emotional impact on stage and elevates audiences to a deeper level of storytelling. 

Beyond technique, dancers must command the stage with confidence and convey emotion in every step.

PAA’s dance experts curated a list of the Top 10 Tap Moves to nail before your next tap audition. 

1. Shuffle-brush spank
2. Flap-brush step
3. Ball Change- Transfer Weight from one foot to the other
4. Paradiddle- Heel Dig toe spank toe step heel drop
5. Buffalo-(cross foot in front) step (leap) SHUFFLE STEP
6. Maxiford-step SHUFFLE STEP toe (toe crosses in back)
7. Cramp Roll-step STEP heel HEEL
8. Broadway/Alexander/Shirley Temple/Manhattan-flap HEEL heel SPANK heel TOE heel 
9. Irish-Shuffle Hop Step
10. Back Essence- spank step (cross behind) STEP (out) step (Spank pas de beurre)

Perfect these top 10 tap moves in a PAA dance class or summer dance camp.