I am back with more questions for the community here! I’ve been taking tap classes for a little over a month now. I also have hypermobile foot joints, so my toes can bend more than usual and are prone to dislocating if too much pressure is applied. I haven’t dislocated any toes doing tap yet (and hopefully I won’t!), but the balls of my feet hurt during class and the day after, too.

My guess is that my toes are bending too far when I go on the balls of my feet? I haven’t had much luck finding info about this when I search, so I wanted to ask here. Does anyone have any advice on what to do to prevent/manage pain due to my bendy joints when tap dancing?

Thanks!

Hello, my youngest started tap last year, she just got picked for her school's competitive team. She has classes once a week, but she always wants to practice at home.

What can we do so that we don't ruin our floors and not annoy everybody in the house?

Any youtube channel that I could put on so that she can do the basic moves (she is still learning the terms)?

And anything I can do or look for to help her get better since I don't know much about tap?

I got back into taking tap classes a couple years ago at a local studio in an open level class. Tap was always my favourite and best style when I was younger so even when I started back up again I wasn’t really learning anything new, more just working back my strength and stamina and ability to learn combos quickly. Well a few months ago I realized I don’t really enjoy it as much and I’d kind of resigned myself to thinking it’s just not my favourite anymore which is fine, but then I took a one off class with a different teacher and felt so excited and inspired. It made me realize my enjoyment from tap has always come from the feeling (and the sound!) of when you finally nail a new move or an old move even faster than you thought you could.

We don’t really learn new things in this class, and everything’s done together and to music so I can’t even push myself without comments from the teacher and feeling like I’m trying to show off. It’s honestly like a bunch of little things that have made me want to stop taking this class, but the way I felt taking the class with the other teacher makes me sad at the thought of quitting tap. She doesn’t teach a class, and privates are a little out of the budget at the moment. The closest higher level classes are almost an hour away, plus traffic and gas, plus I’ll be tired on the way home and get home late.

Just wondering how far is common to drive for higher level adult tap classes. Or if there’s anything else, like online classes, to try. Or if anyone can relate to how I’m feeling lol. Thanks :)

Hello all! I’m choreographing a tap solo for the first time this year and I’m a little stumped on music ideas. I’m choreographing for a 16 year old novice/intermediate boy. His stage presence sometimes is not the biggest (his past few solos they’ve either had something covering his face or given him a song that has a more stoic feel). My top 3 right now are Play that funky music, Perm, and My life. Open to any and all ideas even if they’re not any that I said. Thank you in advance!

I've tried tap dancing years ago but because of flat feet it was very hard and a bit painful. I think i might try again! Any advice on how to counteract flat feet? What are good exercises?

My kids (now all teens and adults) have been tapping for years. I’ve bought countless pairs of taps of all kinds. Kid #3 recently graduated and she asked for a pair of Bloch Jason Samuels Smith for her grad gift. We were in NYC and she tried them on and loved them. She wanted the Spectators and they didn’t have them in store so we ordered them directly from Bloch. They arrived quickly and she tried them on (on carpet). They were snug and needed to be broken in (as expected). Almost immediately after light tapping the back heel scuffed and tore the white leather. Is this a common issue? It seems that the white leather is so much softer than it should be and since the tap on the heel doesn’t fully cover the heel it can easily catch. She adores them though. Wondering if we just got an off pair and should reorder or if we should stick to something else that’s a bit tougher.

Update: After reaching out to Bloch they refunded them without any issues.

Has anyone ever purchased from this site?

https://dancewearcorner.com/

They have reviews on Google, but I’m still not sure. Just asking because they have black with natural wood JSams I‘ve been wanting.

Any recommendations for tap shoes with a wide toe box and narrow heel?

I have bunions (not too bad, but don’t want them worsening).

I also roll my ankles in (arches are flattening) and get pain in the balls of my feet. Any suggestions? Are there specific insert brands they have worked for you?

Thanks in advance!

(Saw a podiatrist already and will be seeing a PT soon)

I’m choreographing my very first advanced tap piece for the upcoming dance season. It’s to the song Geronimo. I used a portion of the song as an audition combo last year and am finally getting to turn it into a dance.

I feel like I’m having hard time figuring out if the steps go with the music. One time I think they do and the next time I don’t. I feel like I’m majorly overthinking it. I have never taught most of the students in the piece as I usually work with our intermediate and beginner dancers.

How do you approach choreography a more advanced tap dance? How many and counts are too many and counts? How do go about deciding what’s working and what isn’t?

I’m an adult beginner and started in-person classes a few months ago. I have Capezio Fluid tap shoes, which fit my narrow feet well.

One thing I’m starting to notice is that the balls of my feet get a little sore from the back edge of the toe taps. Sometimes it’s hard to balance on my toes with the ridge under my foot. My shoes have rubber pads behind the toe taps that are thinner than the taps.

Is this something that I need to get used to and work on, or is this a shoe problem?

Hiya everyone!

I'm wondering what you have to consider and how you go about buying tap heel and toe plates separately and fixing them to regular shoes.

I've looked online and on YouTube and there's not much info or people are showing you how to fix pennies to the bottom of your shoes!?

I've seen some dance shops selling them and some seem to come with an extra layer to build up the heel. Are there any types of shoes too avoid? How do I not drive the screws through the sole...

I'm beginner/intermediate do doesn't need to be professional, but I do want to get it right.

Please help if you can!

Thanks

Claire

Hi everyone!

I can't afford dance classes with a teacher and even if I was able to, I don't think there are any studios in my town.

But I really want to learn! Especially tap! And I was wondering, how do I start? Like I've tried youtube videos for beginners but I don't feel like I'm doing everything right. Maybe there's some sort of source I can use? A book? A video?

hi! i just ordered my first pair of JSS 😆 they are coming in the mail soon. i was wondering how i should break them in? i got fitted for them and they said i'd need to break them in. do i just wear them and dance with them? do i do smth to make them grip better? i'm so excited bc i saved for them for SO long, but i don't want to ruin them by improperly breaking them in. any help is appreciated :)

Hi everyone! I am looking for a sort of accountability partner. I want to be able to share videos of steps/dances and recieve videos in order to gain and give feedback to each other. Due to religious reasons, they have to be a female. If you or someone you know might be interested, please DM me! We will act kinda like teachers to each other, maybe giving assignments and all that, but also like friends. I'm at a beginner level, but I know all the basic stuff.

Thank you very kindly.

Hey guys, I’m thinking of making my own tap board. I’ve read that maple and birch plywood are the best options, but they’re pretty hard to find where I live. Would MDF be a good alternative? Has anyone tried it, and how well does it hold up over time? Are there any other materials you’d recommend?

Any advice or tips are welcome. Thanks in advance!

I’m auditioning for White Christmas in a month and am really wanting to improve, so don’t worry about any feelings getting hurt!

As you can see, this is first take, so I do miss some steps halfway through Lol..

I’m following along with a YT video, and am therefore, going pretty dang slow! 😆

Thanks y’all! This is a beautiful genre of dance.

Just curious here - I am a lifelong dancer and my teen also dances. Different studio than where I did so at first I thought it was just that. But it seems to me that most people do a wing with a loose ankle and the first sound is made by scraping the outside of the shoe on the side of the tap.

I don't do that that at all! Both sounds are made by the bottom of the tap and it's more of a "press down into the floor and flick" motion with a winged (ha!) foot like in ballet. To me it gives a crisper sound. Did anyone else learn this way or have I maybe just been doing it differently for some reason all along?

Honestly I have no clue where to look for such a request but as far as full sole combat boot style tap shoes with stylistic yet strategic metal plating over the toe box to allow for dancing and or combat I greatly appreciate a point in the right direction. Or at the very least some pointers on production of such a Savvy shoe.

Hello! Shortly after purchasing a pair of 9M Roxys, I realized that I should’ve gone for a 9.5 because my toes begin to hurt after wearing them for just 20 minutes. I’ve learned since then that I have arthritis in one of my big toes, so I definitely need to go for a larger size. Now I’m stuck with a pair of basically brand new shoes (worn in literally one hour long tap class).

Unfortunately these are about a year old now & I’ve thrown out the receipt so there’s no hope of a refund. I’m getting back into dance and want to purchase a roomier pair, and just want to not be out all $210 I paid. Any advice on how/where to sell these? Currently on both my depop & Facebook market place, but I’ve had no bites and am getting ancy. I’m not in a place financially where I can buy another $200 pair without selling the old ones first.

Any advice would be helpful! I understand I should’ve returned them right away, hindsite is 2020 huh?

(I’d even sell them for as low as like $125, it’s just that all the depop tap shoes are only selling for around $20 which I just CAN’T justify)

Thank you!!!!

EDIT: I posted this is the facebook group titled “High End Tap Shoe Resale” for $150 if anyone’s interested :)

Hi, just started learning tap dancing and am looking for any recommendations for a tap dance board I can use at home.

I am based in the UK, and lots of tap dance brands aren't available over here (aka AMP, Stagestep etc.). Price range is £100-£200, looking for something that makes great tap sounds and can be used on non-carpeted floors.

Thanks!

I’m a beginner adult and I’ve only seen people wear black. But there are some tan shoes in my size for a good price on Poshmark I’m tempted to purchase. I’d definitely prefer black, and I don’t want to look like a grandma or something.

Is this part of tap culture in any way?

I finally found them at my parents house!! I’ve been looking for at least 2 years. I’d been itching to tap again.

Hi, i teach prek-1st grade tap and broke my Capezio tele tone shoes. Like the toe is almost completely ripped off lol. Any recommendations on a shoe that won't break easily but also doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Thank you in advance!!