Taps were added to leather-soled shoes in the 1920s.
Tap dancing is an American style of dance characterized by rhythmic patterns. The percussive sounds are made from iron plates that are attached to the bottom of shoes. The roots of the dance are a mix of clogging, Irish step dance and African movements. The American slaves popularized this style of dance and by the 1920s, taps had been added to leather-soled shoes and it started to evolve into the style of dance we know today.
Shoes
It all starts with the style of tap shoe. Men's and boys' tap shoes are oxford style; women wear heeled character shoes or oxford style, and little girls typically wear a Mary Jane style of tap shoes. However, in recent years, a tap sneaker was popularized due to its comfort and flexibility. Although the taps on tap shoes are attached in the same place on each type of shoe, the size and "ring" of the taps is different.
Sounds
Many children's tap shoes come with the taps already attached, but older children and adults have the taps screwed on. There are three types of taps: teletone, duotone and staccato, and each has a different tone. The number of screws and tightness of the screws also affects the sounds of the taps. Professional tappers are very particular about the type of taps on their shoes as well as the number of screws so that they can get the sound they want.
Placement
There are two taps on each shoe, one on the front and one on the heel. The back tap covers the entire heel regardless of the shoe style, and the tap on the front of the shoe can vary in size. Character shoes require a smaller front tap because the front of the shoe narrows. Other taps cover a larger portion of the front of the shoe and come up slightly over the lip of the shoe in order to do toe stands.
Sneakers and Boots
A more recent addition to tap styles are sneakers and boots. The sneakers have the same placement of taps but with a flatter, less "jingling" sound than traditional tap shoes. The sneakers also have a hollow arch in order to do toe stands. The lace up boot comes above the ankle but has the same tap placement and sound as the oxford type of shoe.
