Online Tap dance lesson

A great way to get started with Tap dancing is with a step called a Cramp Roll. Click here to see the Cramp Roll Lesson

A more intermediate Tap dancing step is called the Manhattan. Click here for the Manhattan lesson.

Paddle and Roll

The Paddle and Roll is a standard 4-measure combination in tap. It falls into the "close work" category because there is little movement across the dance floor. It can be done in place or while moving straight back. The Paddle has the heel of the free foot striking the floor next to the toe of the support foot followed by a Pull (brush back) and Ball-Heel to return the foot next to the support foot as it lifts to become the free foot. (If you are staying in place. To travel backward place the ball at the instep of the support foot.) Relax your leg as the control is actually in the thigh.

Tap Glossary

All moves are made up of 'brushes', 'steps' (which get a weight change) and 'taps' (which don't get a weight change.)

BRUSHES:

      BR      -BRUSH       (hitting the floor with the ball in a pushing
                            motion. Also, with pulling motion-see PL.)
      PL      -PULL        (a brush back w/ball of foot. Note: many
                            dancers and instructors use BRUSH BACK or SPANK
                            for this move. Brush starts with foot in the air, 
                            spank with the heel down and toe up. Substitute.)
      SC      -SCUFF       (fwd brush with heel. End in air.)
      SH-FL   -SHUFFLE     (brush forward w/ball, pull back w/ball.
                            Basically, a BRUSH-SPANK.)
      RF      -RIFF        (brush-scuff forward. End in air.)
      RF-FL   -RIFFLE      (brush-scuff-pull. Basically, a shuffle with an
                            included scuff between the brush and pull.)

STEPS (get weight change):

      ST      -STEP        (on flat foot or on ball, note context to choose.)
      FL-AP   -FLAP        (brush fwd and down on ball w/weight. a "brush-ball")
      SL-AP   -SLAP        (brush fwd and down on ball w/NO weight, a "brush-ball")
      SP      -STAMP       (full foot step that gets weight change.
                            "Lick it and STICK it!")
      SM      -STOMP       (full foot step that does NOT get a weight change.)
      BL-CH   -BALL-CHANGE (two quick steps, one behind heel (BL) of other.)
      HP      -HOP         (leaving ground and landing on same foot.)
      JP      -JUMP        (leaving ground and landing on opposite foot.
                            This action also called LEAP while JUMP involves
                            both feet.)
      TO      -TOE         (stepping on ball of foot, in combination with HL.)
      HL      -HEEL        (dropping heel in combination with BL or TO.)
      DP      -DROP        (dropping heel of support leg when ball is down.)
      CR      -CRAMP ROLL  (four steps crammed together. Toe, toe, heel, heel. 
                            can be started R or L. If done as a pickup to a
                            downbeat it's performed 'triplet-down' with the
                            free foot lifted as the last heel drops.)
      CH      -CHUG         (slide support leg forward, dropping heel.)

TAPS (no weight change):

      DG      -DIG         (tap heel of free foot into floor. End on flr.)
      PD      -PADDLE      (using the free foot to perform a heel DIG followed
                            by a TAP -or PULL- in quick succession. Also
                            called SCUFFLE.)
      SM      -STOMP       (full foot step with no weight change.)
      TP      -TAP         (step on ball of foot w/o a weight change. If it's
                            back it will be tip of foot.)
      FL-AP   -FLAP        (a BRUSH-BALL step using same foot. Two sounds.)

      CLAP    -CLAP        (self-explanatory. Bring hands together for sound.)