Just curious...What are the benefits of tap dancing?

[daisychics]

I guess rhythm? I never took any dance lessons growing up and at my dd's recital (so cute, by the way) there were so many cute tap dancers.

I'm trying to decide if I should just stick to pre-ballet for my dd next fall or there's pre-ballet/tap class.

How do you decide? I'm really sold on ballet, but she sure loves the sound of those "tap tap" shoes (what she calls them). :D

[Kendra]

I studied both ballet and tap from ages 5- 22. Ballet required precision and muscle strength while tap gave a rigorous aerobic workout and great legs! I found them a nice compliment to each other while different enough that I stayed interested and focused on dance as my main exercise for all those years.

[lvbeingmom]

My dd started dancing when she was 4. She now is 9 and does Ballet, Jazz, and Tap. She also does musical theater. The questions you need to ask yourself is what do you want and what does she like. My dd found the love of musical theater. For that you need Jazz and Tap. You also need 3 years of ballet to learn the basic of dance. That is if you want to be a strong dancer. FYI, we do not do competition. She would love to but I have seen this and don't want my dd involved, at least at this age. I say if you can afford it let her do what she likes, at least she will practice without a problem if she likes it.

[AmyinPA]

even though I took all types of dance, tap was and still is my true love. It's really great exercise and I think it's entertaining enough to appeal to all types of people.

[unsinkable]

My dd takes tap and jazz. She goes to a great school that focuses on dance for the exercise. There is no big production at the end of the year, simply a small in-studio show. So for her, it is dance for dance's sake...but along with it she has a wonderful experience with a great teacher, friendship and camaraderie with her classmates and that high you get from exercise. You should see her smile after the end of class!

[daisychics]

hmmm... sounds great. I guess the only way to find out what she would like to do in the future is to let her try everything. :)

I've been watching "So You Think You Can Dance". I love that show. I wish my parents let me take dance lesson. I love watching the contemporary dancers. :001_smile:

[GailV]

My dd LOVED tap. Her teacher required at least 1 year of ballet first, to learn the basics of dance.

And, don't forget, there's also Irish Dance. You start with soft shoes that look like ballet shoes, and then learn hard shoe, which are somewhat like tap shoes (although my kids could give you a run down on the differences between, say, hard shoe and tap, especially older dd who studied a variety of styles of tap before starting Irish Dance and can now discourse on how the foot is moved, how the torso is held, etc.).