An Overlooked Style of Dance-- By Kaleigh West

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When most people think of dance, they probably think of a ballerina wearing a tutu. While I have been that ballerina before, as a dancer, I have done a lot more than just that. I have been a modern dancer who lifts people in a whole bunch of different ways. I have been a contemporary dancer who tells a story without saying a word. I have been a jazz dancer who brings energy through sharp movements. 

While I enjoy all of these types of dance, there is one that I haven't listed that I enjoy most of all.
As nerdy as it sounds, I am referring to tap dancing, an extremely overlooked style of dance. 

I started tapping when I was in first grade, which means that this is my tenth year. Yeah, it's been a long time. 

As for why I like it so much, it's hard to pinpoint an exact reason. Maybe it's because it's so different from the other types of dance that I do. Ballet, contemporary, jazz, and modern are all pretty closely related in the sense that they, to a certain extent, all require basic ballet technique. Tap is different. Things like turnout, pointed feet, or perfectly straightened legs don't really come into play as much (of course this can vary depending on what the choreographer wants). Tap mainly focuses on adding to the music that you're dancing to, or if you're dancing a-cappella (without music), it's about making the music yourself.

Maybe I like it so much because of how satisfying it is (I swear, sometimes it's like ASMR). The way that the shoes hit the floor in such a precise way can just be so satisfying. It sounds weird, but tapping is essentially making music with your feet. One of the coolest things is that you can essentially make any rhythm you want just by different combinations of steps. It's almost like your feet are an instrument (again, it sounds kind of weird but I really don't know how else to describe it). 

I tried my best to describe tap, but honestly words don't do a justice. If you want to get a clearer idea of why I think it's super cool, I recommend looking up some videos on YouTube or Instagram. It's overshadowed by other types of dance (especially ballet and contemporary), but it definitely deserves more appreciation.

Image result for artsy tap shoes

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2020 at 7:05 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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    Replies
    1. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2020 at 7:06 PM

      ^ sorry, silly grammar mistake

      I think tap dancing is so cool. I've always wanted to learn it.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousFebruary 24, 2020 at 4:16 AM

      Wow that sounds so cool. I've never really thought of tap dance like that before. (I usually just think of Gene Kelly in Singing In The Rain.) I really like how you put it: with tap dance, you make the music. That's awesome.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 24, 2020 at 10:31 AM

    Wow. Interesting to see your perspective.

    ReplyDelete
  3. DanielleFebruary 26, 2020 at 5:42 AM

    I didn't know you were a dancer! Tap is one of my favorites to watch because it appeals to my visual and auditory senses and it always looks like so much fun. I never danced, but when I was a senior in high school, I was in the school musical and we took tap for 10 weeks to prepare and it was just so much fun!

    ReplyDelete

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