tap dance

tap dance, theatrical dance form in which the dancer, wearing shoes with metal heel and toe taps, beats out complex, syncopated rhythms on the floor.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Later Dancers and the Combining of Forms
• The Heyday of Tap
• The Beginnings of Tap Dance
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2025, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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