New to tap? Or ready to take your skills to the next level? Well, LDP is here to help with a FREE Tap Dictionary...
megan hoyle
It's hard to say when and where I truly feel in love with dance in general...
Was it when I performed at my first recital and was under the warm stage lights that it energized me so much that I keep feigning for that glow again?
Was it when I got the opportunity to perform my first "touchy feely" lyrical dance in a green flowy chiffon dress and considered myself an "older girl" finally?
Was it when I went to my first dance convention and unlocked some potential within me because I felt the need to stand out amongst the crowd and show exactly that I could do what they were trying to pull out of me?
I think it was early on... whenever that monumental event occurred in my timeline but I DO know exactly when I fell deeply and utterly in love with Tap Dancing. I was still in my tan Maryjane buckle shoes that fit a little too good, you know. But in class, it was the year we started learning wings and pullbacks and starting playing with rhythms and manipulating the way certain steps were performed. You could double and triple your time-steps? You could drawback in place? You could bomershay backwards? WAAAAAAAIT... WHAAAAAAT?!?! When I found out all the crazy ways you can play with tap it became an instant obsession. It didn't come natural to me (on the other hand, I was busy killing it with my sassy faces in hip hop and jazz walking my life away because I knew those were my strongest assets) and sometimes still doesn't. But it's like a puzzle I can't put down. I can't forget about a tap step, or rhythm, or tap drill until I have it. I've always been that way.
So many dancers I have say "I love ______________________, but I'm just not good at it". You can insert whatever dance style you choose into the blank. At that point, I tell them, I wasn't great at tap dancing. I don't consider myself an expert in any genre of dance though, because I know dance is always changing and evolving and that's why even I, myself, continue my dance education so I can stay on top of things and learn new ways to teach my own students.
It's no secret I love to tap and I love to teach and I love technique. We just finished up our Tap Workshop for the summer and it was a success! Our tap company has grown, my mom came and taught which was a delight for the students, and we started some routines that are going to be showstoppers! But I wanted to give something to my students for them to remember the steps and the correct way to practice them so I created a tap dictionary for them to use a reference guide, specifically with the steps we did this past week. And I want to make it available to you.
Why? Because I fear so many dancers think tap is "too hard" or they don't know the terminology or they think it's too late to start or some other reason that makes them miss out on the joy of tapping. Please download this guide and start learning or practicing tap today so you won't miss one more minute without it! And if you need some assistance deciphering the terminology, we're here to help. Signing up for a tap class is the best way to jump on in and we hope you'll consider that option.
Thanks for reading and downloading!
Until next time,
Megan
LDP