| Are you considering taking your first tap dance | | | | elements are combined. In tap you can take the |
| lesson? This list will give you plenty of reasons to | | | | musical ideas in your head and communicate them |
| stop procrastinating and start tapping! | | | | through your feet. |
| 1. Tap Dance Lessons Are Fun! Have you ever | | | | 6. Tap Dance is an American Art Form! I am fond |
| watched any of the famous tap dancers | | | | of saying that tap dancing could not have been |
| perform? They always look as though they are | | | | born anywhere but here in the good old U.S. of A. |
| having the time of their life. That's because they | | | | It was the interaction of Irish, African, English, and |
| are. When I teach tap classes, I try to keep them | | | | Native American influences that led to the |
| from becoming too serious. Time and time again I | | | | creation, over time, of this beautiful art form. |
| have seen that the students that allow | | | | 7. Tap Dance Lessons Teach Fancy Footwork! |
| themselves to relax and have a good time do | | | | Who has more complex footwork than a tap |
| much better than those of us that are too | | | | dancer? Tap dancers use our footwork to create |
| serious. And guess what? They have more fun | | | | sound which has to be executed with precise |
| too! | | | | timing to be correct. Training as a tap dancer |
| 2. You Can Lose Weight In A Tap Dance Lesson! | | | | develops the communication between the brain, |
| Everything about tap dancing is aerobic, whether | | | | legs, and feet. This ability is a key to learning |
| you are learning or performing it. It takes energy | | | | about every other form of dance...especially those |
| and concentration to execute all of the sounds | | | | with swift footwork! |
| and movements in time with the music. Let's face | | | | 8. Tap Dancing is Mysterious! I can imagine that |
| it...legs are not the lightest parts of the body...in | | | | you are wondering what that even means. Let |
| fact, they are often the heaviest. | | | | me explain...I did not start tap dancing until the age |
| 3. Tap Dance Lessons Develop Balance! Since | | | | of 19 (About Ten Years Ago). Thus, I can still |
| becoming a tap dancer I have noticed that I am | | | | remember what it was like to see people tap |
| more able to maintain (and regain) my balance. | | | | dancing and have no idea how they were making |
| When you first start taking classes, one of the | | | | the sounds. To me, it was like magic! Maybe this |
| most important things you do is start balancing | | | | one doesn't impress you, but it certainly |
| yourself on the balls of your feet. Doing this while | | | | impressed me. |
| executing the other movements is a little tricky | | | | 9. Tap Dancing is About Expression! True of tap |
| at first, but in time you will see a noticeable | | | | and any other form of dance. Dance is a way of |
| difference in your balance. | | | | expressing yourself. You can sometimes say |
| 4. Tap Dance Lessons Teach Rhythm! This is a | | | | things with a step or a combination that you are |
| skill that is useful, not only for dancers, but for | | | | unable to express with words. |
| musicians, and athletes as well. Many famous | | | | 10. Tap Dance Lessons Will Help Relieve Your |
| boxers have taken up tap dancing to further | | | | Stress! Remember that old advice about punching |
| develop their timing and coordination. The same | | | | a pillow when something upsets you? Tap allows |
| can be said for many musicians...particularly | | | | you to strike the floor instead! OK, not quite the |
| drummers. In fact, many tap dancers are also | | | | same thing. As stated earlier, tap is a form of |
| skilled drummers. | | | | expression. As you study it, you will find that tap |
| 5. Tap Dance Lessons = Dancing + Making Music! | | | | steps and combinations can have moods and |
| This is one of the things I love most about tap. | | | | ideas associated with them. This can be an |
| With most other dance forms, you are dependent | | | | excellent way to relieve stress through |
| upon some external source for the music. This is | | | | expressing those emotions! |
| not true for tap as the visual and auditory | | | | |