Tap Syllabus

 

Preschool Age

 

The preschool aged child is not as fully developed physically or mentally, in most individuals, as the school aged child. Therefore, a greater degree of patience, tender loving care and gentle discipline is required of the instructor.

 

· Parents are not permitted in the dance room. The teacher must immediately have a position of authority, difficult to develop with a parent at arms reach. The students then begin to take on the challenge of learning independently.

· Toilet training is a must.

· Dress code must be enforced at all times.

Have fun with your students, and do not hesitate to bring yourself down to their level, while teaching acceptable manners. (i.e. placing educational materials on walls).

 

Things preschool aged students should be learning in tap class:

 

· Rhythm exercises are key to helping the children feel the beat of the music. Teach students that beat

       and rhythm are a fundamental to dance.

· Heel drops

· Toe drops

· Heel twists-feet together, heels moving right, then left.

· Toe twists-feet together, toes moving right, then left.

· Double knee bends

· Hop on the right, then left foot.

· Little jumps on two feet.

· Step and clap.

· Jump feet apart and then together.

· Hit the heel on the floor in the front- step together.

· Teach the difference between a hop, leap, and jump. (Hop means on one foot; Leap means from one

        foot to the other, leap from left to right and right to left; Jump means with two feet like a jump rope.

· Three step turn.

· Trenches

· Flap

· Ball change

· Shuffle

· Marching is very important!

Tap Syllabus  -  Beginning Level

 

                 Traditional tap dancers consider themselves “musicians”, creating complex sounds and rhythms that express their moods, the music and themselves.

 

Things beginning level students should be learning in tap class:

 

· Rhythm exercises are key to helping the children feel the beat of the music. Teach students that beat

       and rhythm are a fundamental to dance.

· Learning beat, tempo, on beat, off beat, and timing

· Phrasing

· Accent

· Flap

· Slap

· Heel Step

· Shuffle

· Flap ball change

· Stomp

· Melody

· Hop

· Brushes

· Spank

· Pickups

· 4 and 5 count riffs

 

Tap Syllabus  -  Intermediate/Advanced Level

 

                 Traditional tap dancers consider themselves “musicians”, creating complex sounds and rhythms that express their moods, the music and themselves.

 

Things intermediate/advanced level students should be learning in tap class:

 

· Rhythm exercises are key to helping the children feel the beat of the music. Teach students that beat

       and rhythm are a fundamental to dance.

· Learning beat, tempo, on beat, off beat, and timing

· Syncopations

· All riffs

· Pull backs

· Toe pops

· Double pickups

· Alternating Pickups

· Single leg pullbacks

· Walking riff

· Running flaps

· Wings

· Cramproll

· Paddle & Roll

· Maxie ford

· Waltz Clog

· Trenches

· Drawbacks

 

  

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