TAP DANCE

style of theatrical dance characterized by precise, rhythmical patterns of foot movement and stamping on the floor. The main historical sources of tap dancing appear in the traditional clog dance of northern England, in the jigs, reels, and flings of Ireland and Scotland, and in the rhythmic foot stamping of African dances. In 19th-century minstrel shows American blacks and their white imitators stylized and fused these elements into a popular style of dance and satire. Among noted minstrel performers were Ralph Keeler, Daniel Emmett, and the dance team of Lynch and Diamond. In the late 19th century two distinct techniques emerged, buck-and-wing and soft-shoe. Buck-and-wing was active and fast and was danced in wooden-soled shoes; soft-shoe was relaxed, smooth, and danced in soft-soled shoes. In about 1900 George Primrose was famous for his soft-shoe dancing; Jimmy Doyle and Harland Dixon were known for their buck-and-wing. By 1925 the two varieties had largely merged, and metal taps were attached to heels and toes to produce a more audible tap. The foot technique remained much the same; a great variety of leg movement was added to the footwork, and handclaps and body slapping were occasionally used. Dancers of this period included Pat Rooney, George M. Cohan, the Four Fords, Johnny Boyle, Tom Patriola, and the great Bill (Bojangles) Robinson. Tap dancing after 1940 developed even more complex footwork and incorporated many of the sophisticated elements of ballet and modern dance. Dancers who developed this form included Fred Astaire, Ray Bolger, Eleanor Powell, Paul Draper, and Gene Kelly.