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Tap Dance Dictionary


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Vance's Fantastic Tap Dance Dictionary
Edited by Vance Holmes


Modern Tap Dance has its own colorful and unique
language which provides a wealth of clues to the
history and nature of percussive dance in America.




BROWSE VANCE'S FANTASTIC
GLOSSARY OF TAP DANCE
TERMINOLOGY



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The purely American art form of Tap Dance was originally associated with the names Thomas Rice, Barney Fagan and Master Juba. William Henry Lane was known as Master Juba and the "Juba dance" also known as "Pattin' Juba" was a mix of European Jig, Reel Steps, Clog and African Rhythms and became popular around 1845. This was, some say, the creation of Tap in America as a theatrical art form and American Jazz dance. Tap dancing started with the Africans in early America who would beat out rhythms in their dances with brushing and shuffling movements of the feet. Tap Dance has it's own language which may give some clues to the nature of the art. The following are terms commonly associated with tap: Shuffle ,Bojangles, Buck 'n Wing, Irish Clog, Buck Irish, Appalacian Clogging ,Black Face ,Minstrel, Vaudeville, Time Step, Riffs, Riffle, Ball Change, Pearl Rolls, Patter.