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This level teaches you how to do adv-beginner tap steps and these often build upon beginner tap steps so make sure you really have all of your beginner tap moves down pat before trying these.

ESSENTIAL STEPS

Hop Shuffle

Shuffle Heel

Scuff

Double Buffalo

Double Cramp Roll (Flap Cramp Roll)

Double Irish (version 1)

Irish Flap

Double Maxie Ford

Double Waltz Clog

Alexander (Broadway, Shirley Temple)

Back Essence

Flap Heel Heel

Bombershay Modern (Bombershe, Toe Clip)

Drawback

Pullback (Pull, Grab Off, Pick-Up)

Scuffle (Dig brush, Dig Spank, Paddle)

Scuffle Step (Paddles, Dig brush Step)

Scuffle Step Heel (Dig Brush Toe Heel, Paddle and Roll, Paradiddle

Scuffle Ball Change

Buck Single Time Step

Traditional Single Time Step

Buffalo Turn

Step Irish Turn

Step Toe Hop Turn

In and Out Pullback (Jumping Jack Pullback)

Toe Stand

Slap

OPTIONAL STEPS

Bombershay Broadway (Bombershe)

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LEVEL 3

In this level you will learn intermediate tap steps which will build upon your adv-beginner and beginner tap steps. These intermediate tap moves can be difficult and challenging so give yourself extra time to master each one.

ESSENTIAL STEPS

Shuffle Step Heel

Double Shuffle

Double Irish (version 2)

Alternating Cramp Roll (Around the World Cramp Roll, Trading Cramp Roll)

Pendulum Shuffle

Double Scuffle

Double Scuffle Step Heel

Double Back Essence

Traditional Double Time Step

Traditional Triple Time Step

Buck Double Time Step

Buck Triple Time Step

Cincinnati

Single Pullback (One-Foot Pullback)

Trenches (Hoofer & Broadway Style)

Riff

3-Beat Riff Walk (Slam, Flam, Slurp, Third)

4-Beat Riff Walk

5-Beat Riff Walk

Maxie Ford Turn

Stamp Cramp Roll Turn

OPTIONAL STEPS

Scuff Dig Ball Change

Single Heel Stand

Skipping Pullback

Step Heel Heel

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LEVEL 4

Challenges continue to increase as you move to these intermediate-advanced tap steps. These will integrate intermediate tap steps as well as moves like pullbacks into basic beginner moves like waltz clogs and irishes.

ESSENTIAL STEPS

Triple Cramp Roll (Shuffle cramp Roll)

Switching Pullback (Swapping, Alternating Pullback)

Maxie Ford Pullback

Double Maxie Ford Pullback

Shuffle Pullback Ball Change

Waltz Clog Pullback

Double Waltz Clog Pullback

Shuffle Pullback

Over The Top

Shim Sham

Step Riff Heel (Hop Riff Heel, Leap Riff Heel)

Hines Riff (Split Riff)

Stamp Step Riff Heel Turn

Stamp Step Toe Heel Turn

Paddle Turn

Traditional Quadruple Time Step

Buck Quadruple Time Step

Single Traveling Time Step

Double Traveling Time Step

Triple Traveling Time Step

Quadruple Traveling Time Step

Crossing Wing

Single Wing (One Foot Wing)

OPTIONAL STEPS

Backwards Cramp Roll

Cramprolet

Cramp Roll Time Step

Criss Cross Cramp Roll

Dig Slide

Flap Step Ball Change

Single Heel Stand Turn

Single Toe Stand (One Foot Toe Stand)

Single Toe Stand Turn

Spank Toe Step

Spots

Stamp Roll

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LEVEL 5

Learn these advanced tap dance steps to push your skills to the next level. These require a solid foundation of beginner through intermediate tap steps as well as increased strength and balance.

ESSENTIAL STEPS

Double Flap Cramp Roll

Triple Double Cramp Roll

Irish Pullback Flap

Irish Pullback Flap Heel

Maxie Ford Toe

Double Maxie Ford Toe

Buffalo Pullback

Double Heel Stand

Shiggy Bop (Shovel, Heel Slide)

Switching Pullback Toe

Double Wing (Separated, Staggered, Alternating)

Switching Wing

Traveling Pendulum Shuffle

OPTIONAL STEPS

Scuffle Toe Slap Heel

Shayberbom

Shuffle Ball Change Heel

Spat

Spear

Spiel

Toe Stand Shuffle Step

Tori

Twister

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LEVEL 6

This list of very advanced tap dance steps will push your tap dancing to the next level. This level will lean heavily on various pullbacks and incorporate more and more challenging wings. Expect to see some unfamiliar tap moves as well.

ESSENTIAL STEPS

Shuffle Dig Step Shuffle Toe Step

Shuffle Toe Pullback Ball Change

Double Toe Buffalo

Double Buffalo Toe Pullback

Riffle Cramp Roll

Irish Shiggy Bop (Irish Shovel)

Irish Wing

Double Maxie Ford Toe Pullback

Double Toe Maxie Ford

Double Waltz Clog Toe Pullback

Shuffle Pullback Heel

Switching Pullback Flap

OPTIONAL STEPS

Annalisa's 8-beat Riff Walk

Shuffle Heel Step Heel

Swiffle (Tessa Backdraw)

Toto

Tucker

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LEVEL 7

With level 7 you are on the edge pro level tap steps and moves. These are not for the the faint of heart. Best of luck!

ESSENTIAL STEPS

Hop Shuffle Hop Scuffle Hop Riffle Hop Stomp Spank

Step Riff Brush Heel

Toe Dig Bombershay

Drawback Flam

Switching Pullback Flap Heel Toe

Treadmill Heel

Buffalo Wing

Maxie Ford Wing

Double Waltz Clog Wing

Irish Pullback Heel Flap Heel

Single Pullback Toe

Irish Pullback Toe Flap

Pullback Shuffle Step

Single Pullback Opposite Toe

Switching Toe Pullback

Pendulum Wing

Scissor Wing

Five Count Wing

Five Count Single Wing

OPTIONAL STEPS

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NOTES:

This tap dance syllabus is designed to give you a rough idea of what level each of these steps can be taught at. Like any syllabus, it is flexible. Some classes move very quickly and others more slowly. Also, I doubt anyone will get to each step in every level. I know I certainly don't. I try to hit the important ones and the rest are optional if I get around to them.

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Free Tap Dance Syllabus

Tap Dance Dictionary

Tap Dance Syllabus

Our tap dance syllabus has video breakdowns of 315 tap moves arranged in syllabus order.

We have explanations of basic tap moves all the way through more advanced tap steps.

If you want to learn how to tap dance (or teach others how to tap dance), this tap dance syllabus will guide through learning beginner tap steps all the way through very advanced moves.
315 tap steps are split into 7 levels and each level arranges the moves in learning order. You can use this as an outline for a tap dance curriculum or if you need more detail, our tap lessons show how I teach each move, practice it and combine it with others.
While this syllabus is helpful for learning tap terminology and how to tap dance, it’s no substitute for actual tap dance lessons which spend time on tap technique and include repetition so you can increase your skills and confidence.
Lessons also put the steps to music and combine them into short dances called tap combinations or tap choreography.

LEVEL 1

This is the perfect place to start to learn beginner tap steps from scratch. This list of beginner tap steps will help you learn the basics of tap dancing.

ESSENTIAL STEPS

Toe (flat) ← click for video