Choosing the Best Tap Dance Shoes
Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Gregory Hines; all masters of the dance form known as tap dancing. If you ever seen a video of any one of them perform, you would have been mesmerized by the magical manner in which they moved, gliding across the stage, making rhythmic sounds with their shoes, making the need for accompanying music completely inconsequential. That is the beauty of tap dancing. A form of dance that has been influenced by a variety of dance forms including the juba dance from Africa, the clog dance from England, Irish step dancing, and Spain's Flamenco dance, tap dance is named so because of the tap sound that the dancers make with their shoes.
Tap dance shoes are designed in a manner that there are metal plates attached to the two ends of the shoe, the ball and the heel. These metal plates help in creating the tapping sound that is characteristic of the dance form. Since this form of dancing is so completely dependent on the quality of sound created by the dancer, it is important to choose a perfect pair of tap dance shoes. In this article, we tell you all about choosing tap dancing shoes.
How to Choose Tap Dance Shoes
If you have just started tap dancing, then it is important that you choose a pair of shoes that fit well. It is important that you be comfortable in the pair of shoes that you have bought. If the shoe does not fit well, then it is pointless to own a pair that meets all the other criteria. Also as a beginner do not go overboard spending a lot of money on your shoes because if you decide that tap dancing is not for you, then you will probably never wear those shoes again.
There are many important things to keep in mind when it comes to choosing tap dancing shoes. The style of shoes that you want to choose depends completely on your sense of style. It is not necessary to stick to box type low heeled shoes. There is a large variety of heeled shoes for women available in the market. The most popular dance shoes for tap dancing are ones that are made of patent leather with a strap that goes across the foot or those that can be laced up. But there are also tap shoes available in the market that are designed to resemble sneakers and oxfords.
The material from which tap dance shoes are made are another thing that you will need to keep a look out for. Most tap dancing shoes are made of leather but you can also avail of shoes that are made of other more synthetic material or of canvas. The most important element of a tap dance shoe is the number of screws that are attached to the metal plate. Depending on the number of screws keeping the metal plate in place, tap dance shoes are categorized as teletone, duotone, and supertone. The most commonly used tap dancing shoes are the teletones. Some tap dancers opt to buy shoes that have double taps which are shoes that have an extra metal plate attached to the shoe.
The heel height of the shoes and the sole of the shoes are other important things that most tap dancers take into consideration. While heeled tap shoes look great they can prove a problem for stability during a performance. The sole of tap dance shoes for kids and adults alike needs to be soft and flexible, especially in the middle. It may be advisable to opt for split sole shoes but this is only in the case of tap dancers who have had quite a few years of experience. One of the basics of tap dance are obviously the taps that are attached to the shoes and it is possible to purchase them and then attach them to a pair of shoes of your preference. But this should be done only if you have experience in choosing and selecting proper tap dance shoes, and know what works for you.
Now that you know how to choose tap dancing shoes, it is important that after purchase, you take proper care of them. Whether you are buying toddler's tap dance shoes or tap shoes for adults, without proper care, the lifespan of these shoes can drastically reduce. So buy the perfect pair of shoes for you and tap your heart away.
