Grade 1 Tap

Our main issue in class is making sure we are going in the right direction at all times. When you dance this through treat the dancers on screen as a mirror and go the same way they go as if they were your reflection.

Watch carefully; the first round of Jazz Circles rotate outwards, the second round rotate inwards - make sure you practice them in the correct directions at the correct time!

Carefully watch your directions here and pay attention to work on diagonal verses work facing forwards.

When you practice aim to keep your work clean and crisp so that the rhythm is clearly heard throughout.

This is a 'two bar' echo, bars in counts of 4 so the rhythm you will be clapped is across 8 counts. It's important to listen twice before you clap it back, you only clap it back once through.

Keep your sounds crisp and even throughout, maintain a steady rhythm and try not to speed up!

Relax your body, let your arms move naturally. Try not to travel too far forward on your stomps, use the tap steps to travel slightly backwards to pull you back away from the examiner as we will all dance this together 4 times through.

This video is not mirrored, you're looking at the dancer showing the directions from her perspective. For reference the studio chart comprises 8 directions. Front, Right, Back, Left (to the compass points) then between them lie Right Diagonal Front, Right Diagonal Back, Left Diagonal Back at Left Diagonal Front.

Here is the amalgamation that we will present - our music is different to this, you can play it in the music player above. You start on your right leg; it's 2 lots of 8 for the amalgamation (4 bars), then you repeat it all on the other side (so starting with the left leg). We dance this 4 times through (16 bars in total). Flap R, Clap, Flap L, Clap (a1, 2, a3, 4) Tap Spring R, Tap Spring L, Ball Change (ball flat) R, Stamp L (a5, a6, a7, 8). Flap L, Clap, Flap R, Clap (a1, 2, a3, 4) Tap Spring L, Tap Spring R, Ball Change (ball flat) L, Stamp R (a5, a6, a7, 8). Repeat 3 more times through, travelling in a circle throughout.

This is a lovely dance, there are a couple of 'sticky' bits to watch for. Firstly, after the ball beats near the start of the dance (LRLR) we go into three steps sideways; behind-side-infront (1-a-2), this sets up the Hop (R) tap step (L) ball change (R) (&-a-3-a-4) - then the same on again starting with the hop L counted &-a-5-a-6). The other little bit we come unstuck on is the heel led movement side to side. It goes to your left first; heel dig L to L, step R behind L (1, 2), ball change coming in front (a3), stamp L (4). Then repeat the same to the right; heel dig R to R, step L behind R (1, 2), ball change coming in front (a3), stamp R (4). Make sure you come forward at the end with tap steps (not tap springs) and end in a strong position with head lifted and arms firm.