Intermediate-Advanced Tap Class #1 (Ages 9-13 Years) with Ms. Brandi

This energetic, semester long course will focus on learning intermediate-advanced level tap skills. This class is for students with at least 4 years tap training OR who have been placed into this class by Miss Brandi and is conducted at an intermediate pace. 

Tap shoes are optional (but highly recommended), as dancers can either use tennis shoes or dance bare foot.  If using tap shoes, a small tap board is recommended (1/4 inc. plywood square in whatever size you desire but not smaller than 2 ft x 2ft) in order to protect the floor in your home.

Each week we will build upon previously learned skills to learn new, more complicated steps and to master proper technique. The first part of every class will be dedicated to warm ups and learning new tap steps and technique practice.  In the middle of class, we will practice "across" the floor or "around" our tap boards to practice skills that travel. During the last section of class we will have fun learning short tap dances (AKA "combos" or "combinations) to add on to our mini-recital dance and practicing our newly learned tap skills in fun ways while letting our personalities shine.

I will teach by demonstration and verbal explanation.  Each child will have a chance to voluntarily demonstrate throughout the semester for individual feedback that the entire group can learn from.  General corrections, fun facts, and dance tips will be given to the entire class throughout each lesson, as well.  

Students should have already mastered basic skills of:
*Shuffles, shuffle ballchanges, shuffle hop steps
*Flaps on the run, flap ballchanges
*Time Steps
*Cramprolls
*Paradiddles (aka "paddle and rolls")
*Riffs
*Pullbacks
*Maxifords
*Continentals (aka "Shirley Temples)
*Tapping at a quick pace while maintaining tap technique
*Learning choreography and new steps at a quick pace



At the culmination of the semester, we will celebrate our progress by performing our short recital piece together and by discussing how far we have come in just 12 weeks!

Week1:  Introduction to first part of Tap Warm ups; review of beginner tap skills; additional tap skills added to beginner skills; first few 8-counts of tap mini-recital piece learned.

Week 2:  Additional warm up skills with taps/heels added to warm ups; technique practice with heels/taps from week 1; new steps with heels/taps; additional 8-counts of mini-recital piece learned.

Week 3:  Additional warm up skills added with tap/heels; technique & rhythm work in tap with previously learned steps; additional combination of heels/taps; new traveling steps and new turns learned; additional 8-counts added to mini-recital piece.

Week 4: Warm ups and practice of technique & rhythm work in tap with previously learned steps; additional combination of heels/taps and new traveling and stationary steps learned; finish mini-recital piece

Week 5: Warm ups and practice of technique & rhythm work in tap with previously learned steps; practice rhythms, technique, and performance quality in recital piece.

Week 6: Warm ups and stretches, review of recital pieces, performance of mini-recital piece; celebration

*Specific skills, curriculum, and pace will vary by section as teacher adjusts in live time to student needs/skills.