Essay - Tap Dancing Tap Dance as Defined in Merriam-webster is 'A...

Tap Dancing

Tap dance as defined in Merriam-Webster is "a step ***** t*****pped out audibly by means of shoes with hard soles or ***** and heels to which taps have been added." This is an American dance that resulted from a mixture ***** cultures.

Its early beginnings can be traced ***** the early slave trade in America ***** the 1600's. Africans used drums to communicate ***** each other over long distances. Afraid that this will lead to revolt, the ***** masters forbid it's use. But African-*****s found a w*****y to uphold their traditional rhythms, and that was ***** transferring it to their feet. They imitated the social dances that were brought along by ***** Scottish and Irish indentured laborers. The rapid heel and toe movements of the Irish Step Dance and the percussive movements of the British Clog Dance ***** merged with their own rhythmic steps and drumming. ***** mixture of ***** brought about a unique American Tap dance.

Tap only became a stage dance in the 1800's but rarely was anyone allowed to perform on ***** during the civil war except for William Henry "Master Juba" Lane, who was born a freeman. A champi***** dancer of his time, he was recognized for t***** rhythmically complex ***** he created. Then slave dances were later adapted in***** theaters dur*****g the first Minstrel Show, the most popular kind of entertainment in the mid *****. They were popularized by *****s such as "Daddy" Thomas Rice and Zip Coon. Later, Barney Fagan, the great Minstrel, was ***** the "Fa*****r of Tap," a title that was eventually passed on to other dancers throughout *****tory.

It wasn't until the 19th century when the word "Tap" was ***** popularly. Two techniques ***** widely used, namely: a fast style in wooden-sole shoes and the ***** ***** s*****t shoe, characterized by smooth leather-soles. The former was also called "buck-and-wing," which was ***** known as Modern Tap Dance. Eventually, as both styles coalesced, metal plates, or taps ***** added to leather-soled *****.

Since Tap started, it can be clearly seen ***** this theater dance h***** c*****tinuously evolved. New ***** were developed and other movements added. Used to ***** a f*****m of *****, it is now considered an art which may people ***** recognized and placed their interest in.

Bibliography

***** Online, [On-line]
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/tap%20dance,[Accessed 24 November 2005]

The Origin of ***** *****, [*****]
http://www.gannetschool.it/leggendoquaela35in.htm,[Accessed 24 ***** 2005]

International Encyclopedia of Dance, The Origin of Tap Dance, [On-line]
http://www.simplytaty.com/history/tapdance.htm,[Accessed ***** November *****]

G. Loringett, History of ***** Dance, 1997,[On-line]
http://www.offjazz.com/tp-hist.htm,[Accessed 24 ***** 2005]

Vance Holmes, All About Tap Dance, A Hoofer's Notebook, http://www.theatredance.com/tap/,[Accessed 24 November