True or False: Our favorite Tap-dancing Facts

True or False: Our favorite Tap-dancing Facts

This month we’re celebrating all things tap dancing. Tap dancing is such a fun style of dance to learn. Whether you’re a serious tap dancer, or someone who just likes to try it out for a fun exercise, this dance style is great for everyone.

The history of tap dancing is interesting and fun, so let’s test your tap-dancing knowledge with a game of true or false!

True or false: Dancers used pennies hammered into the soles of their shoes to make noise.

True! Dancers would hammer pennies or nails into the soles of their shoes before metal taps were created. Both pennies and nails would create the rich tapping noise that makes tap dancing so unique. Thankfully, tap shoes have come a long way since!

True or false: Screws on the bottom of tap shoes are simply there to hold the metal daps in place.

False! The screws on tap shoes have a true purpose. Those screws can be tightened or loosened to create a deeper or lighter tone to the dance, depending on the dancer preferences or the dance routine.

True or False: Tap dance is a very specific dance style with common rules.

False! Tap dance is a dynamic art form, and dancers over the years have continually molded and shaped it. Tap dancing was found in nightclubs, on the streets, and on Broadway and originated in the mid- to late 1800s. In the 1920s specifically, tap dancing was a common skill performers mastered in order to create unique art and get noticed.

True or False: Tap dancing can be used to communicate Morse code.

True! Since tap dancing is a series of taps, you can communicate Morse code through tap dancing.

True or False: Tap dancing is a language.

True! Tap dancers used the tapping sound to communicate with the band or orchestra to let them know how quickly or slowly they wanted the music to be, or what rhythm they wanted.

True or False: You must buy exactly tap shoes in order to tap dance.

False! Any pair of shoes can be made into a tap shoe, if it has a hard sole. While yes, real tap shoes would be much more comfortable since they’re made specifically for tap dancing, you can take any shoe and make them a tap shoe. Metal taps are sold separately, and you can bring your shoes into a tap shoe shop and have them installed on regular sneakers, if you wanted!

Tap dancing is fun for everyone

This is a fact everyone knows is true, so we don’t even need to ask! Tap dancing is a great form of exercise, whether you’re a serious tap dancer or someone who just wants to have a good time getting their heart rate pumping and feet moving.

At Footloose, we love tap dancing and have products that will make tap dancing comfortable and fun. Talk to us today to find the perfect tap shoe, or to learn more about what you need to get tap dancing.