Tap brings routine ideas to figure skaters and gymnasts. Learning Tap Dancers use their feet like drums to create rhythmic patterns. Tap dancers mostly make sound with the metal taps on the toes and heels of their shoes, each tap having a metal ring inside that jingles with each heel tap. Tappers link together moves, like basic patterns to create tap routines. Tap dancers learn foot steps and then add the arm and hand movements.
Students add new moves to their repertoire after reviewing old moves.
Tap teachers listen for clean, crisp tap sounds and watch for proper foot, leg, hand and arm positions. Dancers improve by improvising their own tap steps, copying tap sounds and borrowing steps by watching and hearing other tappers and dancers. Teachers usually listen for each tap dancers' tapping sounds and show them the proper movements. Tap dancers must stretch before every performance, rehearsal or class. Tap dancers usually take lessons at studios.