Across The Floor: Flap Progression

Here is another part of the full class I posted last week, it is an across the floor flap progression that repeats a basic pattern but adds another sound on each repeat.

I like to give this combination to my intermediate students when I notice that they have been forgetting to dance with their heels lifted off the floor.  It is simple enough to remember and is easy for hear if a student drops their heels as the flap sound will get muffled.  If during the progression they put their heels down, I send them back and they have to do it again (I'm a meanie!).




ACROSS THE FLOOR FLAP PROGRESSION
Flap R, flap L, flap R, hop
Reverse
Flap R, flap L, flap R, toe back L, hop
Reverse
Flap R, flap L, flap R, shuffle L hop
Reverse

Counts: a1 a2 a3 4, a5 a6 a7 8 | a1 a2 a3 a4, a5 a6 a7 a8 | a1 a2 a3 &a4, a5 a6 a7 &a8

Repeat if you have enough room. If not, turn around and repeat the combination starting with the L foot.

Tips and Variations:

• Add a 4th section by doing: flap, flap, flap, shuffle toe back hop (Counts - a1 a2 a3 e&a4)
• Make it more challenging by replacing the flaps with flap heels or shuffle steps.
• Make it easier by replacing the flaps with marches.
• Remember to keep your heels off the floor at all times during this step for clear sounds.
• Your foot should come off the floor immediately after the toe jab to help with speed and clarity.

Full Intermediate Class #1

Happy New Year everyone!  I thought it might be fun to post a full tap class for those of you who practice at home.  So here it is!
Below is a typical intermediate class that I teach - I am hoping to have some time this weekend to video some of these steps and combinations for you.. until then - here is the annotated version of an intermediate tap class.  Enjoy!

Abbreviations & terms I use:
R = Right foot
L = Left foot
double time = twice as fast (if normal is 1 2 3 4, double time is 1 & 2 &)

WARM-UP (Music: "Domino" Jessie J - www.youtube.com . . .)
8 alternating toe drops R & L
8 alternating heel drops R & L
16 toe drops double time
16 heel drops double time

2 toe drops R, 2 toe drops L, repeat for a total of 8x
repeat with heel drops
repeat double toe drops, but double time
repeat double heel drops, but double time

Center Combo: Flap Ball Change

brush R backwards, hop L, toe jab R, hop L
flap ball change R (traveling R)
shuffle L, hop R, step L (in front of R)
flap ball change R (traveling R)
Reverse

Counts: a1 a2, a3 a4, a5 a6, a7 a8

Tips & Variations:

• This combination can be done center floor by traveling to the right and left.  It can also be traveled forward or backwards by traveling each side on the diagonal.
• For intermediate dancers, try turning a quarter or half turn on the brush hop toe hop.  A half turn would allow the dancer to travel across the floor in the same direction, a quarter turn would create a sort of "staircase" pattern.
• You can also try turning the shuffle hop step - a half or full turn would work.
• For advanced dancers, add a single pullback as follows:    brush hop toe hop, flap ball change, shuffle L single pullback R step L, flap ball change

Across the Floor Sequence

Variation 1: Hop
3 running flaps RLR, hop R
3 running flaps LRL, hop L
[a1 a2 a3 4 / a5 a6 a7 8]

See Variations 2, 3, & 4 after the jump