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Assemble a group of dancers and there is often discussion of "sprung floors" or "slippery floors." One resource I found on finishes and floors is:
Of course, this assumes any modifications would have to be done on YOUR floor...
Also, someone on the tap-jazz list recommended another reasonable cost option for a home practice floor: "MDF [Medium Density Fibreboard] comes in 1/4" and 1/2" sheets, and can be cut to size with normal tools (just like plywood), but it is hard and smooth and doesn't splinter. (But don't get it wet because it swells.) MDF is available through most lumber yards, and is probably priced comparably to plywood sheets. Don't buy masonite -- it is NOT the same thing as MDF, although some people might tell you that it is." [tap-jazz 991216] You can get more information on the material in The MDF FAQ.
There are a number of vendors that sell dance mats. These are usually a sturdy assembly of hardwood strips backed by canvas which allows the 'floor' to conveniently roll up when finished. The sizes include 4' by 4' and 4' by 8'. (They ain't cheap.) Some suppliers include:
Jubilee Dance Floor, the "do it yourself sprung floor", has a different design for their portable dance floor. They have interlocking 2 foot by 2 foot lightweight tiles that are priced per tile, which allows you to create the size floor you need. Floor tiles come standard in black or white. If you want more visual interest, 12 other colors available at extra cost per tile. Features include: Affordable, Lightweight, Shock-Absorbing/Sprung, Durable, Inter-Connecting, Good Traction, Clear Tapping Sound, Fast Easy Assembly. Floats over concrete, tile, hardwood and other unforgiving surfaces
{For tap dancers in Europe Ira Bernstein has developed a portable floor... "It's 5 meters across by 2-1/2 meters deep and is suitable for solo, duo and trio work. It sounds great (full range from bass to treble) and feels great. It does require a full-size van to transport and three or four people to load it. It's extremely easy to assemble and breaks down into four sections. if anyone is interested in using the floor, they should contact Ira Bernstein in the States at Tel. 516/593-6419, Fax. 516/593-3697 or ira@tentoepercussion.com (via email) Europe contact info is: c/o Rainer Zellner, Tel. (49)07073-2250, Fax. (49)07073-2134."}
You can get a quick overview of the types of dance floors by visiting the Dance Floors link mentioned above where you will find a brief description of floor construction including: basket weave; semi-sprung; sprung; reversible; and cascade floors. There is a gallery of photos also. The company describing itself says "Sprung dance floors offers a variety of custom made SPRUNG and SEMI-SPRUNG floors for various performances venues, home studios or educational facilities."
I got a small brochure from the company that did the tap floor for the New York City Tap Festival, which had a nice sound, good sprung floor diaphragm, various microphones and pickups. According to the brochure, they custom design tap floors, and list "tap floor instrument rental" as an option. They have a Web site with contact information but do not have a page for the tap floor yet. HarariVille, Inc., 1801 Willow Ave., Weehawken, NY 0787. Visit the HarariVille Web site.
Because tap dancing creates sounds as well as movement through space the instruments (our shoes) used to create those sounds are very important. If you ask a drummer about sticks (wood in its different weights, graphite, nylon-tipped, etc.) or a guitarist about strings (steel in its different gauges, silk-and-steel, flat wound, bronze, nylon, etc.) you will get vigorous opinions on the best tools to get their "sound." So it is with tap dancers.
Tappers have choices in shoes and taps. One can choose street shoes (possibly with an additional overlaid sole) or specialty dance shoes and a range of taps that can be used with each. In order to have screws hold adequately leather soles often with a thin fiberboard spacer are used. The spacer is glued and tacked down. Unwanted rubber heels are replaced by stacked leather heels constructed by a cobbler. The "toe box", the shoe area around the toes, can be constructed in a range from light to heavy. Heavy would assist in structural support for specialty moves like toe stands. A "high box" would allow for more toe freedom within the shoe. There are also fiber or metal shanks that add stiffness along the length of the shoe. Balance between heel and toe is also important.
The range of shoes can run from a light jazz tap shoe with taps over a suede sole and minimal toe box to a sturdy two-tone "Spectator" shoe with double sole, reinforced toe box and support shank.
I'll include a few sources here. The big players seem to be Capezio and Leo's Dancewear and their lines are placed in stores around the country. Both have created shoes with noted performers. This is by no means an exhaustive list, merely a range of choices to assist in judging shoe and tap characteristics when shopping for your instruments.
"Catspaw is a name brand piece of rubber used by cobblers/shoemakers. It comes in 3 or 4 widths/strengths. light - medium - heavy or sm. med. lrg. it can be cut to shape and fit the ball part of your dancing shoes to create a non-slip action of the shoe. It is great for dancers who really need to move and grip the floor. Saved Gallina Ulanova and Makarova in "On Your Toes". Most Broadway dancers are fixed up with Catspaw on all shoes. It's a personal preference, but many tap dancers today don't use it as it also can alter the quality of sound as well as not allowing you to slide."
Enjoy!
Totowa, NJ 07512
(201) 595-9000
http://www.capeziodance.com/
[Th official Capezio site has some display problems. I tried accessing from several different browsers. You may want to try a Google search for Capezio]
![Capezio Coppola [image]](images/capezio_dontstealthislink.gif)
Capezio Coppola
Capezio has been making dance shoes since 1887 and their shoes are usually sold through dance supply stores that carry their line. Their catalog lists tap shoe models and their characteristics. (See the discussion below for an opinion on the differences between the different taps for shoes.) Here's a listing of Capezio shoe traits:
SHOES
TAPS
There is a two-page fitting guide to match taps to Capezio shoes in their catalog. It is a spreadsheet style listing with shoe sizeson the rows and different taps across the columns in Narrow, Medium and Wide shoe divisions.
The Discount Dance Supply Web site also lists some Capezio tap shoes.
This shoe was designed and is worn by Ira Bernstein and available from Capezio Ballet Makers, Inc. It features:
Orders custom to your specifications: size color, thickness and heel height. Can be made for use with orthotics. Two-tones in all colors available. Sizing runs same as Gregory Hines shoe by Capezio. Contact: David Sheaffer at Capezio's NY office (212) 245-2130. Ask for the Ira Bernstein TONE-MASTER Rhythm Tap Shoe.
Leo's Dancewear, Inc. (formerly Leo's Advanced Theatrical Co.) is a manufacturer that is currently selling to 16 countries has been in business since 1924. Here are a couple of items. (Check their Web site for the latest!)
The Split Sole Jazz Tap (available June 1996) is based on the split sole jazz oxford, but incorporates a one inch heel and toe boxing for toe stands. This shoe is designed to show off the foot in the same way split sole jazz and ballet shoes are, so there is no shank. The inner sole of the shoe is lined with "Dri-lex" which is a persperation wicking material to keep the foot drier and is also "cushy" to the touch. The taps used on this shoe are the Fibre Tone Master Taps (also used on the Alexander Concerto) which have a crisp, clear tone.
Leo's also manufactures the Giordano Jazz Tap (the first jazz tap ever on the market) and the Ms. Giordano Jazz Tap (U-shell, buckle strap).
Leo's also manufactures the Concerto Tap Shoe (see below) and Brenda Bufalino of the America Tap Dance Orchestra has designed a shoe with Leo's. More information on that shoe should be available at http://www.atdf.org/
Leo's Dancewear now carries a new shoe design by Chicago Human Rhythm Project (formerly am/FM) director Lane Alexander (773) 761-4889. Named the Concerto it is meant to fit the niche between super-light and super-heavy shoes. It is an Oxford unisex style with slightly higher heel than the standard tap shoe with a medium toe box to keep shape but avoid stiffness. It uses soft leather with stitched uppers and a sole thicker toward the toe giving great balance. Includes sizes up to 14 large which will accomodate up to a men's 13.
Leo's ToneMaster taps with fiber plate are used on the shoe in their Adjustable Tap System which incorporates "Nylock" screws. These screws are coated with nylon along the threads and work just like the "Lock-Tite" (previously used) with out the mess and inconvenience of a glue. There is a metal sleeve in the sole and the user can adjust the screws holding the taps to get a desired sound without worrying about the screw threads stripping the leather from dance movement. [Nicole Drayer at Leo's is the contact person with the most information on this shoe.]
New for 1996 is the Double Sole Concerto. This style will become available June 1996 and has the same style upper as the Alexander Concerto, but a double sole for maximum stability. This shoe is unavailable with taps and rubber already attached so that the dancer can use the tap styles of their choice.
(By the way, I received a note from Lane, the designer, and he stated the shoe design is constantly being reworked. Earlier versions needed further refinements. The current shoe is much improved. Sizes listed are for women: 5-10 medium and 6-14 wide. See the shoe size conversion chart mentioned above.)
Miller and Ben Tap Shoes were designed by Israeli tap dancer Avi Miller of the Jazz Tap Center and are available through their Web site, TapEmporium.Com. The shoes are described on that Web site as:
Avi was involved in designing the highly-regarded Dansky tap shoe, apparently no longer manufactured.
A new custom tap shoe is available from Just Tap! Features include:
Bloch Dance Shoes have been mentioned on the tap-jazz list. Dance Supplies, Etc. has a Web site with photos of the shoes and contact information.
Described on their Web site as:
The most flexible tap shoe on the market! All leather, with Capezio Tele Tone taps on the heel and toe! Adjustable screws in the toe and screws in the heel tap. This is the top of the line Jazz Tap on the market today. One inch heel with supportive heel counter and a non-skid rubber patch behind the toe tap makes this tap shoe the best shoe in it's class!
#501 Black and #503 Tan
Sizes 2 Adult to 13 Adult (Medium Widths, Wides are special order)
The original design of Split-clog tap shoes was patented by Capezio for shoes used by Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and Ruby Keeler. A recent version was used by Tommy Tune in the show (and soundtrack) of "My One and Only." The sectioned sole allows for flexibility, spinning remarkably well with a solid tone and no aftertones. Great on wooden floors. A craftsman, "Tex" Eddleman, uses 3/8-inch thick hand-carved purple Amaranth wood for the heel and birds-eye maple for the three sole sections in a honeycomb design for best sound. The taps are fixed to the shoe with contact cement and wear well.
Tex may still be teaching and working in Port Charlotte, FL at Viki Parkes' Stars of Tomorrow Dance Studio and he is still making Split Clog Taps for anyone who wants to enjoy these "new" old-time taps. He can be reached by mail at Stars Of Tomorrow, PO Box 9084 - Port Charlotte, FL 33949-9084 or by email: vpsot@sunline.net
Here are a couple of opinions from an informal discussion of tap shoes on the TAP-JAZZ list (1st message) and the newsgroup rec.arts.dance. Dansky shoes are no longer manufactured but the discussion of the shoe characteristics are worthwhile reading.
--------------------- Date: August, 1995 From: TAP4GOLF@aol.com A local store here in Maryland now carries the Dansky shoes. It's called Repeat Performance. I don't know the phone no., but it's in Bethesda, I believe, so you could get it from information. I have now danced in both Capezios and Danskys. The Danskys, though heavier and a little more difficult to maneuver, make a FAR superior sound without the effort of having to pound the floor. This is particularly true of the heel tap. There is a steel shank that runs from the heel to about the ball of the foot, which makes the shoe a lot less flexible than the Capezios. It also has a heel that's a good half-inch higher, and it has taken me a while to adjust so that I'm not clunking my heels all the time. Now if you're going to try toe stands, which several of the adults in my class can do, I wouldn't even try it (well, I'd NEVER try it) in the Capezio....too soft and not enough support to hold you up. Now the Capezios are light, flexible, and allow you to move more effortlessly through dance steps. I like them both.....I think for rhythm tap, go with the Danskys. For Broadway-type dance, go with the Capezios. There are a couple of additional reasons I say this. Because the Danskys' heels are just a little higher, your balance/center of gravity are shifted. You almost have to lean forward a little bit to achieve that balance point, which you don't do in the Capezios. In show tap (in my limited experience), we're doing more wings, grab-offs, etc., that require balanced take-offs and landings. I find even the turns more difficult in the Danskys, because I haven't found that point where my center of gravity is over my shoes. No problem there with the Capezios. If you're still awake, good luck with your decision! Tap --------------------- Date: 18-AUG-1993 13:00 From: WELLS@cgi.com Description: Summary: Taps? Thanks to the tap experts who responded to my query. This is what I learned: There are three major types of taps generally available, Supertone, Duotone, and Teletone. Of the three the vast majority preferred Teletone. A trip to Lynch's showed me that Teletone comes in a broader size range than does Supertone. Supertone taps are slightly brighter than Teletone because they are connected to the shoe via a slotted washer device which lets them ring. Teletone are attached with 3 screws, and it is generally accepted practice to loosen the screws to make Teletone ring. Wooden taps are still in use. Metal taps didn't come into use until about 1926. Prior to that Wooden soled shoes were used. Wooden taps are make them yourself projects but should sound nice. I switched from a 3 Supertone (the largest) to a 1 Teletone. I like the Teletone better than the Supertone especially after I loosened the screws a little. It is a bigger tap which fits my big feet better, and they are flatter which helps me with balance. Don wells@cgi.com ============================================================ Date: 14-MAY-1994 09:56 From: jimwito@aol.com (Jim Wito) Description: Tap shoes for kids To whoever sent me the message about tap shoes for their child: Somehow I lost your message so I am sorry I haven't made a response sooner. I referred the question to my girlfriend (the director of the dance studio) and she didn't get back to me so I will try my best to answer your question. Realize that whatever shoes you get, they won't last long since your child's feet will be growing quickly. Our studio has a shoe pool were people can trade in old shoes to get larger used shoes. It has been working pretty well but I don't know if the studio you go to does this kind of thing (you might want to suggest it). As far as shoes, most of our kids wear Danskins or Capezio shoes but the Capezios tend to be a little pricier. For the shoes themselves, go for what feels comfortable to your child. As far as the taps, we highly recommend Morgan Taps for both the toe and the heel. They tend to give the best tap sound out of anything out there. I hope this helps ! Jim :-)
There was a discussion of electronics and tap on the TAP-JAZZ mailing list. The following items are what I've found.
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Last Modified: 30-Apr-2007