A Beginners Guide To Tap Shoes

Buying your first tap shoes can be very daunting. Whether it's for a tot just starting to tap or an older dancer trying out a new style, you don’t want to be wasting money on a pair of tap shoes that do not match your needs.

Fitting

Tap shoes are just like street shoes in that if your toe is curled up at the front then they are too small. You also don’t want to make them too big as your toes will not then be over the toe plate, making it more difficult to produce a sound!

Colour

First thing you want to decide on is colour. This is usually very simple if its for a dance class, in which case you may be required to wear black or white, but other colours are available. Some dancers like to have a colour which matches a costume for competitions or shows and some little ones like glittery tap shoes as they are fun to watch when first learning.

Heel Height

One of the biggest visual differences between tap shoes is the heel height. As a rule, new tappers should start out with a low heel as this gives them more stability and ease of movement. A high heel (Cuban) can look more elegant but does change a dancer’s weight placement. Please remember that for tap exams some boards only allow Cuban heels once the dancer has reached a certain grade.

Shoe Style

Tied Taps / Merry Jane Shoes – These are most popular tap shoes with younger children and beginner tappers. They can be two hole lace ups, Velcro or buckled. These tap shoes are usually lighter to wear and quite often only come with toe taps attached.

Oxford Style – These shoes are a unisex shoe. They lace all the way up the foot to give a secure fit.

Stage Shoe – These tap shoes usually have a Cuban heel and are ideal for the stage as they give an elegant line.

Split Sole Shoes – These tap shoes are usually for the more advanced dancer as they allow the tapper to do more intricate work. They are great for competitions and shows.

Tap Shoe Plates

This is probably the most important feature of your tap shoes as they are what gives them the sound. Some shoes come with plates that are riveted in place so that they cannot be adjusted. These pre-fixed plates are great for beginners as they dont require any fine tuning. Other shoes come with screw fittings which can be finely tuned by losing or tightening a screw. Just remember to make sure the screw head is still below the plate, or it can damage a studio floor.