Without the taps, a tap shoe is just a shoe. In this Great Tap Shoeganza installment, Tristan thoroughly covers the most interesting part of the tap shoe, sharing a bit of history, some tips for fixing loose screws, a look at the variety of metal taps available, and more. Fellow dedicated “tap geeks” and casual enthusiasts alike will walk away with deeper understanding of a critical part of the tap shoe – something rarely offered on websites or elsewhere.
Dance Styles
Customizing Your Tap Shoes: Fashion and Functionality
Tristan, our TAPography columnist covers the many ways tap dancers can make their shoes unique and individual. From brogueing and stitching, to colors and patterns, to the vegan tap shoe, and even electronics, customizing your shoes is a fun and fashionable way to express yourself!
Customizing Your Tap Shoes: Health and Comfort
Whether your foot concerns are as serious as suffering sesamoids, or as mundane as bothersome blisters, feet are happiest when they are comfortable and healthy. Continuing his Tap Shoeganza series, Tristan provides you with ways to modify tap shoes to make tap dancing much more enjoyable for those with new and/or congenital foot disorders.
Rebecca King on Learning As a Professional
From fueling the body, to proving yourself from the back of the room, to the independent work required of a professional, Miami City Ballet’s Rebecca King recaps the lessons she’s learned in her five years of company life.
In The Moment: Ten Improvisation Tips
Dance improvisation is a movement skill that involves creating and executing movement without any premeditated choreographing, as well as a dance form that takes practice to master just like any other. For those new to improvising, here are some words of advice that can help in any situation where you may be asked or required to make up movement on the spot.
Teacher’s Top Three: Ballet Movies
Every dancer has their favorite dance movies and documentaries. Juliette Clark, a dedicated ballet teacher and dance blogger at BalletScoop, offer her top three in the ballet genre, explaining their usefulness in the classroom as well as why they inspire her. See if you share Juliette’s enthusiasm for these titles and list your own favorites!
