The routines on my website have been choreographed either by myself or other dancers whose workshops I have attended. They are written using mostly English tap terminology, which unfortunately is slightly different to American. For instance, a flap in the UK is called a flam in the US, and the step that American's call a flap or slap, is called a tap-step in Britain. Confusing or what! I have also used some abbreviations, which are explained below.

L or RDF = left or right diagonal front L or RDB = left or right diagonal back R = Right Foot L = Left Foot Bk = backwards

Fwd = forwards NW = no weight NR = next to right i.e. Step LNR step left foot next to right NL = next to left

XF = cross in front i.e. Tap step LXFR cross the tap step in front of the right leg XB = cross behind i.e. Toe Tap RXBL toe tap is done behind the left leg. All steps are done forwards or facing front unless stated i.e. shuffle R (side) is a shuffle at the side.

The routines on this sight have all been reproduced with the permission of the choreographer and fellow tappers should feel free to use them. However I would ask that if you are teaching any of the routines that you acknowledge, most importantly, the choreographer, but also the source i.e. this website. Thanks!

Routine 5

This short dance was choreographed by Susan Bishop at the ATD festival in 2001 for an advanced class. The music used was Dance with Me by Debelah Morgan and has a spanishy feel.

Dance with Me

Arms up 5-8.

Heel beat L, 3 beat shuffle R, heel beat L, step RXBL. Ball beat heel beat ball beat heel beat all L. Heel beat L, 3 beat shuffle R, heel beat L, step RXBL ,Turn to face RDF(1e++a23+4+5e++a6turn78)

Tap step heel beat R, tap step heel beat L, ball change, Tap step heel beat R, tap step heel beat L, tap step heel beat R, ball change - all travelling to RDF(+1+2+3+4+a5+a6+a7+8)

Step L, pick-up step R, Rep 4 more times turning (about 3 turns), stamp L (1+2+3+4+a5+6+7+8)

Step R, double pirouette, step L, turn, double flap (1turn234step5turn6e+a7(8))

Tap step R, tap step L, 5 beat riff R, step L Fwd(half turn to face back), pick-up step R, pick-up step L (+1+2+3+a4(5)6+7+8)

Tap step R, tap step L, 5 beat riff R (to back), Heel beat R, toe tap L, heel beat R, toe tap L, heel beat R, step L Fwd(half turn to face back), pick-up step R, pick-up step L (+1+2+3+a4+a5+a6+7+8)

Tap step R, tap step L, 5 beat riff R, heel beat R, toe tap L, heel beat R, step L, pick-up R, ball dig R, heel beat L, heel beat R, ball beat L, ball beat R, heel beat L, heel beat R (+1+2+3+a4+a5+a6+a7+a8)

Step L, step R, step L (1(234)5(6)7(8))

Step R, lift L leg, step L, step RnL, step LtoL, step RnL, rep other side (123+4567+8)

Step RXFL, 4 steps turning to LDF, step L (1(2)34567(8))

Step RtoR, 4 beat cramp roll turning, Rep. Step R, step LXFR, Step RtoR, 4 beat cramp roll turning. Rep. Step R (1++a2+3e+a4+5++a6+7e+a8)

Maxiford L, drop L, toe tap RXFL, swing leg round toe tap RXBL, ball change, stamp R (1e++a23+(45)6+78)

Stamp L, pull back, Rep. Step L, step R, stamp L, pull back, Rep. Step L (1++a2+33e+a4+5++a6+7e+a8)

Heel beat L, shuffle step R, tap step heel L, drop down on R knee arm position to finish (1(2)+3+(4)+a567)

Routines 6 & 7

The next 2 routines are by Jill Freeman and were taught at TapUk 2002. The first was an advanced class and uses Mack The Knife by Robbie Williams. The second routine is to Get Happy from the Pop Idol Big Band album, and was for an intermediate level.

Mack the Knife

A 2x Tack Annie starting R, Pick-up R, heel beat L, step R, pick-up L, heel beat R, step L, heel beat R, heel beat L. Rep (+12+34+5+6+7+8 x2)

Tap step R, toe tap L, ball change, toe tap L, ball change, ball change, toe tap L, ball change, toe tap L, ball change (+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8)

5 beat cramp roll L, pull back on R, heel beat R, heel beat L, ball dig step R, ball dig step L (+1+a2e+a3+45678)

B Stamp R (foot inwards), ball beat, heel beat, ball beat, Slide together, heel beat L, shuffle ball change R. Rep (1234slide56+7+8 x2)

Tap step R, toe tap L, ball change, toe tap L, ball change, ball change, toe tap L, ball change, toe tap L, ball change (+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8)

5 beat cramp roll L, pull back on R, heel beat R, heel beat L, ball dig step R, ball dig step L (+1+a2e+a3+45678)

C Stamp 3x hops R to RDB, pick-up step L, pick-up step R, shuffle L, hop R, step LXFR (1234+5+6+7+8)

Hop L, flap R, pick-up step L, pick-up step R, shuffle L, hop R, step LXFR (+a1+2+a3+a4)

Toe tap R, hop L, step R, pick-up step L, pick-up step R, shuffle L, hop R, step LXFR to face front (+a5+6+a7+a8)

D Tap step R, wing preparation L, forward brush R, hop L, step back R, hop R, step back L, tap step R, 5 bt cramp roll change L (+1+a23+(4)+5+6+7+a8)

5 bt cramp roll R, toe clip, ball beats RL, heel clip, heel beats RL, 5bt cramp roll R, pull back R, heel beats RL (+1+a2+a3+a4+5+a6e+a7+8)

ORDER: Section A - 4 times. Section B - twice. Section A - once. Section B - once. Section C - twice. Section D - twice Section C - once. Section D - once. Section C - once. Section D - once. All sections once in order

Get Happy

4 different arm positions. 4x step click fingers.

A 4x Ball beat R (in, out, in, out), ball change, tap step ball change R to RDF (123456+7+8)

Tap step L to LDF, step R, tap step ball change L, Shuffle R, hop L, step R back Rep L. (+12+3+4+5+6+7+8) Repeat all

B Stamp R, hop L, pick-up step R, pick-up step L, tap step ball change R, shuffle L, hop R, step L (12+3+4+5+6+7+8)

Pick-up R, heel beat L, step R, pick-up L, heel beat R, step L, heel beat R, heel beat L . Rep (+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8)

Stamp R, hop L, pick-up step R, pick-up step L, tap step ball change R, shuffle L, hop R, step L (12+3+4+5+6+7+8)

Tap step R, heel beat L, heel beat R, Rep L,R,L turning to face Left (+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8)

C Stamp R(nw), 4 beat cramp roll R, shuffle R, 2 ball changes, Tap step heel beat R to R, tap step heel beat LXFR (1e+a2+3+4+5+6+7+8) Rep 2 more times

Stamp RXFL, step L, step R, stamp LXFR, step R, step L, stamp R(nw) to face front (1234567(8))

D Step heel beat R, step heel beat L to LDF, step RXFL, step LXBR, lunge R (1234567(8))

Heel beat R, step LXBR, heel beat L, step R to R, heel beat R, step LXFR, heel beat L, toe tap R. Rep to L (+1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8)

Step heel beat L, step heel beat R to RDF, step LXFR, step RXBL, lunge L (1234567(8))

2x step click fingers, shuffle R, hop L, step R, shuffle L, hop R, step L (1234+5+6+7+8)

ORDER: Do sections A, B, C, D 3 times through. On 3^rd time dont do clicks at end section D, go to section C again .Carry on section D to first lunge.

Routine 8

This dance is a nice upbeat one that I choreographed for the rhythm tap class. The music used is Just A Little by Liberty X from the album Thinking It Over. It is a fairly simple dance with 2 sections that repeat. Some bits are quite quick and the rhythm is a little tricky in places.

Just A Little

4 bars intro

Section A

Shuffle step RXFL, Rep LtoL, Rep RXFL, ball change LR (+a1(2)+a3(4)+a5(67)+8))

Shuffle step L, Rep R, Rep L (travelling backwards), ball change RL(1+2+3+4+5+67)

Tap step heel beat R, Rep L, toe tap R, heel beat L.(travelling forwards), Rep (+8+1+2(3)+4(5)+a6+a7+8)

2 stamps R, ball change LR, clap (1+(2)3+4)

Forward brush L, heel beat R, backward brush L, heel beat R, ball change LR, stamp L (5ea6+78)

4 beat paddles R, L, R, heel beats L, R, L, R, Rep starting L (1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a5e+a6e+a7e+a8e+a)

4 beat paddle R, stamp L x3 (1e+a2(3)4e+a5(6)7e+a8)

Heel beat L, ball dig heel tap R, heel beat L, step heel beat RXFL, step L, shuffle ball change R, heel beat L x2 (e+a1+2+3e+a4e+a5+6+7e+a8)

Step R, forward brush L, heel beat R, step LXFR ((1)+2(3)+4)

Heel beat L, toe tap RXBL, heel beat L, toe tap R to R, Rep, 2 chugs L (5e(+)a6(e)+a(7)e+(a)8+)

Section B

Stamp R, clap, tap-step heel beat L, toe tap RXBL, heel beat L. Rep (12+a3+456+a7+8)

Stamp R, clap, tap-step heel beat L, toe tap RXBL, heel beat L, stamp R, clap, tap-step heel beat L, toe tap RXBL, heel beat L ,stamp R, clap (12+a3+a45+a6+a78)

Scuff L round, 2 heel beats R, backward brush L, heel beat R, toe tap LXBR, heel beat R, step L (1+2a3+a4)

3 beat shuffle R finish XFL, heel beat L, scrape R out, heel beat L, backward brush R, heel beat L, toe tap RXBL, heel beat L, stamp R (e+a5+6a7+a8)

2 heel beats R, ball touch L, heel beat R, ball touch L, heel beat R, ball touch L, heel beat R, step L (1+2+a3+a4)

Step RXBL swing L round, step LXBR, step R to R, step L fwd ((5)+(6)+78)

Order:

Whole thing twice. Repeat B. Repeat whole. Rep B. Rep first 16 counts of B but omit last clap