National Tap Dance Day

We pay tribute to one of America's oldest dancing art forms on May 25th, during National Tap Dance Day.

#nationaltapdanceday

Tap dance is a percussive dance dating back to the early 1800s, with a blend of principally African and Irish roots.

Tap dance performers have often displayed a great deal of character through sound and body movement, often incorporating complicated rhythmic step combinations. Tap dancing evolved from a rigid Irish jig to a sand step, and a little bit of jazz, from clogging to wing styles, soft-shoe to the sand step, and a little bit of jazz, from a stiff Irish jig to a sand step, to a sand step, and a little bit of jazz.

Famous tap dancers

Robinson, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson Robinson Robinson, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson Robinson Robinson
Fred Astaire
Gregory Hines
Ginger Rogers

Each of these artists brought their own flair to a dance style that continues to influence film, music, and stage.

Soft-shoe is a form of tap dancing that is similar to tap dancing. Although still rhythmic, the sound is muffled as tap shoes are not required to perform the steps. Both of the dance steps in tap transfer to soft-shoe make the two dance steps extremely compatible.

In the 1980s, the famous Shim Sham of the vaindeville era became a line dance.

How to celebrate #nationaltapdanceday

Get your toes tapping and sharing your favorite tap dance performances. There are so many ways to express your appreciation of this enthralling art form.

Give your best tap dancer a shout out
Attend a performance. Tap dance is included in theatre performances, recitals, and spur-of-the-moment performances
Performer! Show off your talent by wearing your tap shoes on and show off your skills. Make a video and post it on social media
Take a class. Tap dancing is a great workout and gives the opportunity to share experiences with others
Teach someone. Share your tapping expertise with others who want to learn
Learn more about tap dancing Start with these three fantastic places to start: The following are three fantastic places to start:
Lisa Lewis's Beginning Tap Dance began by Lisa Lewis's Beginning Tap Dance
Tap Roots: Mark A. Knowles' Early History of Tap Dancing: The Early History of Tap Dancing
Acia Gray's Acia Gray's Souls of Your Feet: A Tap Dance Guide for Rhythm Explorers The Souls of Your Feet: A Footage Guide for Rhythm Explorers
Tap dancing is included in many films that feature tap dancing These are our favorites: We love these: We love these:
Gregory Hines appears in Tap, directed by Nick Castle, starring Gregory Hines and directed by Nick Castle
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers appear in Swing Time, a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film. George Stevens' Directed by George Stevens
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone appear in La La Land's starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. Damien Chazelle's directedee directed him

Let us know how you celebrate by posting #NationalTapDanceDay on social media.

The first national tap dance day in history is the first national tap dance day in the United States

Congress considered a petition for National Tap Dance Day on February 7, 1989. When Christensen attended George Washington University, Carol Vaughn, Nicola Daval, and Linda Christensen, all tap dancers and enthusiasts, considered legislation. President George H. Busch signed the bill into law on November 8, 1989, bringing it to fruition. On May 25, 1989, the anniversary of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, a major contributor to tap dance born in 1878, was commemorated in a one-time official observance. Each year on May 25th, the observance has continued to be commemorated.

"hello, i was just reading about national tap dance day and suspect your history may have been inaccurate," i believe i was the first national tap dance day from a relative of mine

Here is a PDF copy of the letter sent from Congress to Bill Robinson from our email.

Jamie introduces us to this relative (Bill) is their cousin, who has since passed away, but Bill's mother would like to know that this National Day has respect and meaning to their family.

RELEVANT VIDEO