Dance has a language of its own, and tap has a particularly rich one. This glossary gathers the terms used across Stage & Step into one quick reference. For fuller explanations of the technique, see our article on tap technique and vocabulary; for more, the American Tap Dance Foundation maintains educational resources.
Steps and sounds
- Ball change: a quick two-sound weight transfer between the balls of the feet.
- Brush: an unweighted swing of the toe across the floor, producing one sound.
- Buck-and-wing: an early, vigorous solo tap style; an ancestor of modern tap.
- Cramp roll: a rapid toe-toe-heel-heel sequence producing a tight rolling burst.
- Flap: a brush forward followed by a weighted step — two sounds, ending with weight.
- Heel drop / toe drop: lowering the heel or toe of a weighted foot for a single sound.
- Paddle (paddle-and-roll): a rolling multi-sound figure used to pack rhythm into a beat.
- Pullback: a backward jump with a brush on the way up, landing on the balls of the feet.
- Riff: a scooping multi-sound strike of the toe (and heel) prized in rhythm tap.
- Shuffle: the essential two-sound move — a forward brush and a backward brush in one swing.
- Time step: a traditional syncopated phrase used to “keep time” and open a number; comes in single, double, and triple forms.
- Wing: a virtuoso airborne move in which the foot scrapes out and back, producing a ringing sound.
Styles and traditions
- Broadway tap (show tap): theatrical, presentational tap built for visual spectacle and the ensemble.
- Hoofing: grounded, close-to-the-floor rhythm tap emphasizing weighted sound.
- Rhythm tap (jazz tap): tap approached primarily as improvised percussive music.
- Soft-shoe: a smooth, quieter tap style, often performed without metal taps or on a scattered surface.
Stage and production terms
- Build: the steady escalation of energy toward a number’s climax.
- Button: the sharp final pose and chord that end a number and cue applause.
- Combination (combo): a short sequence of steps taught in class or at an audition.
- Dance arrangement: the extended, danceable version of a song written specifically for a number.
- Ensemble: the group of dancers and singers who perform a show’s large numbers.
- Formation: the arrangement of dancers in space at a given moment.
- Marley: a rollable vinyl dance-floor surface laid over a subfloor.
- Sprung floor: a resilient floor built to absorb shock and protect dancers.
- Trading fours: alternating four-bar improvised phrases, borrowed from jazz.
- Triple threat: a performer who can sing, dance, and act at a professional level.
Have a term you’d like added? Suggestions are welcome — let us know.