Tap dance shoes or “tap shoes” are an essential component of tap dancing. The metallic soles underneath tap shoes are responsible for the sound created whenever an individual “taps” her foot to the floor. Without tap shoes, tap dancing would not exist.
It is of the utmost importance that you get the girls tap shoes that are entirely right for you if you are just a beginner that is starting because wearing the wrong tap shoe could hinder your progress. On the other hand, choosing the wrong tap shoes could negatively affect your dance performance as an intermediate level dancer, and even for experts.
There is no shortage of tap dance shoes in the market today, but because of the myriad of choices, it might be not easy to select the right one. Here are some of the significant factors to consider before buying tap shoes.
Fitting
Proper fitting is arguably the most important factor to consider when buying tap shoes. This is because fitting affects your comfortability and performance.
Shoes that are too small are uncomfortable to wear because it squeezes your foot as you make dancing movements. Using tap shoes that are too small can cause unwanted health conditions such as foot pain, calluses, and deformities, according to Very Well Health.
Tap shoes that are too big cause the front-end to curl upwards, this means not enough pressure is applied to the toe plate, which does not create the ideal sound when tapping the shoes. Wearing big shoes can negatively affect your performance, which is something that you should avoid.
Design
The design of girls tap shoes is the basis for the functionality of the shoe and aesthetic appeal. For instance, tap shoes made with slip-on neoprene split soles are designed to hug your arch, which provides ultra-flexibility when dancing perfectly.
Low heel tap shoes have flexible heel counters that add further stability. Some even come with Pro-Tone tap plates and resonating boards that improve the sound. If you prefer tap shoes that somewhat resemble sneakers, you might want to check out lace-up tap shoes that use laces for design and non-slip pads for additional grip.
Material
The most common materials used for tap shoes include canvas, polyurethane, and leather, all of which are great options for tap shoes. However, you must select a tap shoe that is made from high-quality or high-grade material to ensure that the shoe will be durable.
You would be better off by investing in high-quality tap shoes, so you are rest assured that they won’t break while at practice or performing. Never buy tap shoes made from low-quality materials because the last thing you want is to experience an embarrassing performance because your tap shoes broke down.
Pre-fixed Plates or Non-attached Plates
The two major types of tap dancing shoes are shoes with pre-fixed plates and non-attached plates. Tap shoes that come with pre-fixed plates are ideal for beginners since the tap plates are already fitted and offer convenience because the adjustment is no longer necessary.
On the other hand, tap shoes with non-attached plates offer versatility since you can choose what type of plate to attach, whether regular or horseshoe shape. You can also customise the fitting of these plates to adjust for the sound you like, and these tap shoes are apt for intermediate to advanced-level dancers.
Buying tap dance shoes can be a headache with all the options to choose from that is available in the market. Hopefully, the significant factors mentioned above have helped you decide what type of tap shoe would be perfect for you to buy!