
Tap Dance Terms
(r) = right foot (l) = left foot
*All steps in this dictionary start on the right foot.
What we cover in Intro to Tap
ball-change - Step behind(r) step forward(l) (2 sounds)
back essence (basic) - Step(r) behind, step(l) side, step(r) side (3 sounds)
buffalo - Leap(r) shuffle(l) leap(r) - Start with right leg crossed over. End in the same position (4 sounds, moving sideways)
brush (also see Spank) - Ball of your foot strikes the ground while brushing forward. Typically starts in the back and ends in front (1 sound)
chug - with heel up, slide ball-of-the-foot forward, drop heel (1 sound, moves forward)
cramp-roll - Step(r) step(l) heel(r) heel(l) (In place. 4 sounds)
flap - Starting behind, ball-of-your-foot forward strikes the ground(r) then taps or steps down in front(r) (2 sounds)
grapevine
step (side, r) step (crossing-front, l) step (side, r) step (crossing-back, l) (moving sideways, 4 sounds)
step, heel (side, r) step, heel (crossing-front, l) step, heel (side, r) step, heel (crossing-back, l) (moving sideways, 8 sounds)
heel - Place your entire heel down on the ground. (1 sound)
heel-dig - Place the back edge of your heel on the ground with a flexed foot. (1 sound)
Shim-Sham (Short Heel-Dig version)
Heel-Dig(r) step(r) Heel-Dig(l) step(l) Heel-Dig (r) ball-change(r-l) Heel-Dig(r) step(r)
Heel-Dig(l) step(l) Heel-Dig(r) step(r) Heel-Dig(l) ball-change(l-r) Heel-Dig(l) step(l)
Heel-Dig(r) ball-change(r-l) Heel-Dig(r) step(r)
Heel-Dig(l) ball-change(l-r) Heel-Dig(l) step(l)
Heel-Dig(r) step(r) Heel-Dig(l) step(l) Heel-Dig (r) ball-change(r-l) Heel-Dig(r) step(r)
shuffle - Brush forward(r) and brush back with the ball-of-your-foot(r) Starts in back and ends up in the back. (2 sounds)
spank (AKA pull) - Ball of your foot moves back and strikes the ground. (Starts in the front and ends in the back. 1 sound)
step - All of your weight down on the ball of your foot while keeping your heel of the ground. (1 sound)
stamp - Place your entire foot down on the ground. The foot gets your entire weight. (1 sound)
stomp - Place your entire foot down on the ground at once and lift up immediately. The foot gets no weight. (1 sound)
tap - (version 1) While your heel stays on the ground, lift and place the ball of your foot down. (1 sound)
(version 2) Place the ball of your foot down but do not place any weight (1 sound)
toe-drop (AKA Toe) - Place the tip of your toe on the ground. This is usually done behind the supporting foot. (1 sound)
Waltz Clog - Leap(r), shuffle(l) ball-change(l-r) (usually done to waltz music - but 5 tap sounds)
Level 1 & 2 Steps
back essence
(w/spank) Spank(r), step(r) behind, step(l) side, step(r) side (4 sounds)
(w/flap) Spank(r), step(r) behind, flap(l) , step(r) side (5 sounds)
bombershay - step(l) spank(r) heel-step(r) (3 sounds)
Cincinnati - Spank(r) heel(l) shuffle(r) step(r) OR spank(r) hop(l) shuffle(r) step(r) (5 sounds, moving back)
drawback - spank(r) step(r) heel(r) (3 sounds) OR spank(r) heel(l) step(r) (3 sounds
Irish - Shuffle(r) hop(l) step(r) OR hop(l) shuffle(r) step(r) (4 sounds, moving forward or backward)
LA Time Step- Spank(r), heel(l), step(r), shuffle(l), ball-change(l-r), shuffle cramp roll, flap(l), ball-change(r-l)
Maxi Ford - step(r), shuffle(l), step(l), toe(r) (5 sounds) / Double Maxi Ford - flap(r), shuffle(l), step(l), toe(r) (6 sounds)
paddle - heel-dig(r) spank(r) step(r) (3 sounds)
paradiddle AKA Paddle Roll - heel-dig(r) spank(r) step(r) heel(r) (4 sounds)
pull (spank) - Ball of your foot moves back and strikes the ground. Typically starts in the front and ends in the back (1 sound)
riff - brushing forward with the ball-of-your-foot(r) followed by brushing your heel(r) (2 sounds)
riff-walk - brush forward with the ball-of-your-foot(r) brush your heel(r) heel-dig(r) tap(r) (4 sounds, moving foward)
Shim-Sham (Studio's official version)
Shim-Sham (Short Shuffle version)
Shuffle(r) step(r) shuffle(l) step(l) shuffle(r) ball-change(r-l) shuffle(r) step(r)
Shuffle(l) step(l) shuffle(r) step(r) shuffle(l) ball-change(l-r) shuffle(l) step(l)
Shuffle(r) ball-change(r-l) shuffle(r) step(r)
Shuffle(l) ball-change(l-r) shuffle(l) step(l)
Shuffle(r) step(r) shuffle(l) step(l) shuffle(r) ball-change(r-l) shuffle(r) step(r)
Shirley Temple - Flap(r) heel(l) heel(r) spank(l) heel(r) toe-drop(l) heel(r) (8 sounds, moving side-to-side)
Spank(r) step(r) flap(l) step(r)
Spank(l) step(l) flap(r) step(l)
Spank(r) step(r) flap(l) step(r) spank(l) step(l) step(r) flap(l) step(r)
Spank(l) step(l) flap(r) step(l)
Spank(r) step(r) flap(l) step(r)
Spank(l) step(l) flap(r) step(l) spank(r) step(r) step(l) flap(r) step(l)
Clockwise Turn - Spank(r) step(r) flap(l) step(r) flap(l) step(l) flap(l) step(r)
Counter Clockwise Turn - Spank(l) step(l) flap(r) step(l) flap(r) step(r) flap(r) step(l)
Spank(r) step(r) flap(l) step(r)
Spank(l) step(l) flap(r) step(l)
Spank(r) step(r) flap(l) step(r) spank(l) step(l) step(r) flap(l) step(r)
Susie Q - cross in front stamp(r) step(l) while pivoting the stamping foot out(r) (2 sounds)
Time Step (First)
stomp(r) hop(l) step(r) flap(l) step (r) (starts on count 8)
Time Step (Second)
stomp(r) hop(l) flap(r) flap(l) step (r) (starts on count 8)
Time Step (Triple)
stomp(r) hop(l) shuffle(r) step(r) flap(l) step(r) (starts on count 8)
Time Step (Double Triple)
stomp(r) hop(l) shuffle(r) step(r) shuffle(l) step(l) step(r) (starts on count 8)
Travel Time Step
Step, shuffle, ball-change, ball-change, spank, hop, step, brush, hop step
Level 3 & 4 Steps
grab-off (**we have covered this version in Level 3)
spank(l) leap(r) (2 sounds)
shuffle(r) spank(l) leap(r) (4 sounds)**
shuffle(r) spank(l) leap(r) heel(r) (5 sounds)
pullback - moves backward
single pullback: spank(r) spank (l) step(r) step(l) (spanks at same time, steps at same time. 2 sounds)
double pullback: spank(r) spank (l) step(r) step(l) (4 sounds)
riffle - riff(r) spank(r) (3 sounds)
riffle step- riff(r) spank(r) step(r) (4 sounds)
scuff - strike the heel in a forward motion (1 sound)
scuffle - strike the heel forward(r) spank ball-of-the-foot back(r) (2 sounds)
toe-tip cramp-roll - toe-tip(r) toe-tip(l) step(r) step(l) (4 sounds)
wing - Both feet brush to the side, spank in, and step down (3 sounds)