TAP
BIBLE – MATTHEW CLUFF – LES STUDIOS
*NOTE: R = Right / L = Left*
3 RULES:
1. Bend Knees
2. Keep Weight Forward (on balls of feet)
3. Heels Off The Ground (if possible)
3 PARTS OF TAP SHOE:
1. Ball
2. Heel
3. Toe
BASIC STEPS
Steps:
• Step (changing weight, ball of the foot)
• Stamp (changing weight, whole foot, heavy sound)
• Stomp (NO change of weight, whole foot, heavy sound)
Jumps:
• Jump (always landing on two feet)
• Hop (same foot, one foot)
• Leap (changing feet, always land on one foot)
• Shot Beat (heavy, whole-foot leap to side)
Basic Sounds:
• Brush (swinging motion forward or back,; do not scrape) - ball
• Taps (comes off floor) – ball, heel, toe
• Beats (stays on floor) – ball, heel, toe
• Dig (bend knee back to start) – ball, heel
• Drop (other part of foot is already on the ground) – ball, heel
• Stud (release from floor immediately) – ball, heel
• Chug (one or both heels “dropping” at same time, usually travels forward)
Basic Tap Steps:
• Flap (brush forward) R, step R)
• Running Flap (brush forward R, leap R)
• Shuffle (brush forward R, brush back R)
• Scuffle (scuff forward R, brush back R)
• Riffle (ball dig R, heel dig R, brush back R)
• Ball Change (2 quick steps done in one count or less; usually step back 1st)
• Grapevine (ball changes done side to side, switching / crossing feet)
PROGRESSIVE STEPS
Miscellaneous (No Name)
Flap R, Ball-Change L/R
Flap R, Heel-Heel L/R
Shuffle R, Hop L, Step R or Irish (when traveling front or back, crossing last step)
Shuffle R, ball change R/L, shuffle R, hop L, step R
Shuffle R, hop L, toe tap R, shuffle R, hop L, step R
Flap R to side, heel-heel L/R, brush-ball L (feet together) heel-heel R/L
Flap R to side, heel-heel L/R, brush back L, heel R, toe tap L, heel R
Miscellaneous (With Name)
Paradiddles: Heel dig R, brush back R, ball dig R, heel drop R
Double Paradiddle: Same as paradiddle, repeat first half of step 2x
Drawback: Brush back R, heel drop L, step R backward (lifting toes of L foot up)
Drawback “Break”: Brush back R, heel drop L, shuffle R to side, heel drop L, step R
7-Beat Riff: Ball dig R, scuff R, heel drop L, heel beat R, ball drop R, 2 heel drops L/R
Riff Walks: Ball dig R, heel R (lift toes up of R, heel stays on floor), ball drop R
Suzi-Q: Heel dig R (crossing / twisting in front), step L to L (twisting R toe to R)
Bombrashay: Stamp R (crossing / twisting in front), flap L to L (twisting R toe to R)
Maxiford: Shot beat R (traveling R), shuffle L (side), leap on L (traveling L), toe R
Double Pick-Ups: Jump into air, brush both legs back while still in air, land on 2 feet
Shim Sham Shimmy:
• Scuffle Stamp R, Scuffle Stamp L, Scuffle R Ball Change R/L, Scuffle Stamp R
Essence (front, side, back) (single, double, triple):
• Step R (in direction of essence), flap L (or brush back L, step L), step R
• NOTE: Number of sounds and direction of first step dictates the essence
• NOTE: First “step” can be replaced by “flap” or “shuffle step”
Buffalo (4 options):
• Traveling: Leap R (traveling side), shuffle L, leap L (crossing)
• Changing Feet: Leap R (traveling side) shuffle L, hop R
• Traveling: Running Flap R (traveling side), shuffle L, leap L (crossing)
• Changing Feet: Running Flap R (traveling side) shuffle L, hop R
Cramp Rolls
4-Count Cramp Rolls: ball R, ball L, heel drop R, heel drop L
Change Cramp Rolls: ball R, ball L, heel drop L, heel drop R
5-Count Cramp Rolls: Same as 4-count or change, start with quick brush forward R
Pass Cramp Rolls: 5-count cramp rolls that travel to side (can be normal or change)
Stamp Cramp Rolls: Stamp R to R, 4-ct change cramp roll (turning clockwise)
Time Steps
Time Step: Shuffle R, hop L, leap R, flap L, step R
Stomp Time Step: Stomp R, brush back R, hop L, leap R, flap L, step R
Double Time Step Variation: Replace leap with running flap
Triple Time Step Variation: Replace leap with shuffle leap
NOTE: Change directions (corner to corner) on underlined step
