Tap dancing originated in the mid-1800s from the combination of Irish step dancing and African American slave dances. It developed into two major categories, jazz/Broadway tap and rhythm tap, with the former focusing more on dance and the latter on music. In the 1930s-50s, tap dancing rose in popularity through famous tap dancers in television and film like Shirley Temple, Ginger Rogers, Rita Hayworth, and the Nicholas Brothers. Tap dancing influenced other dances like jazz and Lindy Hop and remained popular until declining in the 1950s with the rise of rock and roll music.

1. Tap Dancing Personal Research Project #3 By: Rachelle Alcantara History 141

2. According to Wikipedia, Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using ones shoes, as well as the floor, as a percussive instrument. It is not only a form of physical expression, but a musical art form.

3. There are two different major categories of tap dance. One of them isJazz or Broadway tap, and the other is Rhythm tap dancing. Jazz or Broadway tap has a greater focus on the dancing part of tap, while Rhythm tap has a main focus on the musical side of this expression.

4. Where did Tap Dancing start? Later, the black performers would imitate the Irish dancers imitation of them and further mix the two categorize s of dance created Tap. Tap dace can be traced back to Irish step-dancing and black slave dances. It is said to have began in the mid 1800’s. In this time period Irish performers would imitate southern blacks by satirizing their dance forms while including step-dancing. In the 1930’s , 40’s and 50’s the best tappers started on television and movies.

5. Shirly Temple Ginger Rodgers Some of the best: Rita Hayworth The Nicholas Brothers Gene Kelly Bill “Bojangles” Robinson

6. During the 1930’s tap dance mixed with another form of dance called the Lindy Hop. In the 1950’s the style of entertainment was in a transitional period where Jazz music and tap dance declined, while rock and roll and pop music took off. From this the new jazz dance emerged. Thus the style of jazz dance all evolved out of tap dance, so both have similar moves. Jazz and tap switched into two different categorize of dance .