Also, don't let the "pro level" name scare you. Even if you aren't a pro these types of shoes are great choices if you can afford them. I always recommend buying a pair (k360, Jason Samuel, or M&B) when your feet stop growing.
I am so glad to have found you. I am 58 years old and starting tap for the first time. I am learning at home. I went on Facebook Marketplace after looking up sizing on tap shoes. I found someone 20 mins. from me with a nearly new (super new!) pair of Bloch leather shockwaves in black for $15.00 in 1/2 size up from my street shoe. I asked her if we could meet for a try on and she was great with that. They fit perfectly!!! So $15.00 later I have an $80.00 pair of tap shoes and a couple of instructors online for tap. I am doing this because I walk 4 to 7 miles about 5 times a week and am seeing that the range of movement is just not enough to keep me from being stiff and sore. I need dance and barre and stretching and not just the walking. (I often walk backwards down the HUGE hills here in Missouri for balance and stretching). You are so easy to follow! Thank you for helping me age well!!!!!
this vid helped out so much!! I want to get my boyfriend a pair for Christmas and wanted to do my research early. He would tell me stories about how as a kid he wanted to learn tap because of singing in the rain. He wasn't able to and tells me that he keeps thinking about taking classes now as an adult. I know that feeling of wanting to please your inner child by getting something you wanted as a kid. I actually met him while achieving a childhood dream.
Hi tap dance teacher, I wonder why you stopped posting videos. I really like the way you show how to do the basic steps. It is so slow and so clear. Tap dance is fast, it helps a lot when the parts are broken into pieces. Please make more new tap dance instruction videos. Thanks a lot.
Still wearing my favorite pair of tap shoes... jazz oxford with taps attached, the split sole is not only comfortable but allows me to point my foot nicely. I'll be devastated when they finally wear out, have not seen any similar tap shoe offered in the past few years. Like your videos, keep up the good work.
I am a senior (70), not a "dancer" but have always loved tap. I want to start up a senior class at the dance studio, what kind of shoes should I get? a couple of us have slightly swollen ankles from type 2 diabetes?
I like heel shoes, but Mary Janes’ I hate, they are maiden. So I took my own heel booties that I love, and converted them into tap shoes, and it costed me less than a dollar!
Hey Rustin, I love your videos. I would love to learn a simple English circular Folk Dance to teach at a family reunion. Or do you have the name of one I could look up?
Thank you so much Mary Ellen! Yes, you can look up two dances: Arnold's Circle and Specknerin. Specknerin is easier and isn't a partner dance. If you'd like a tutorial of the steps for that dance I can do a video on it. Arnold's Circle is a fun "mixer" and is danced in a double circle with couples. It's a little harder than Specknerin because of the partner switching section. Let me know if you have any more questions! I'd be glad to help.
Hi, thanks for this video! I haven’t tapped in years but decided to take it back up again to get through all of this coronavirus quarantining. Since my feet have grown a bit since I bought my most recent pair of tap shoes (which are now painful to wear), I’ve been having to order and return multiple pairs of new tap shoes, which is a pain. My main question is how to know whether or not a tap shoe is too narrow for your foot. I don’t generally have to buy wide shoes when it comes to normal shoes, but my toe box is wide enough that certain brands can rub my little toe pretty badly. The tap shoes that I’ve been trying to find the correct size in are the Capezio Cadence, which are made of genuine leather. I received two different sizes of them in the mail today (both medium widths) and came to the conclusion that I might need to try a wide width as they seemed to be rubbing the sides of my toes/feet pretty badly and the whole ball of my foot seemed to be hanging over the edges of the soles. Is that normal to some degree with tap shoes? Also, how much room should I have between my big toe and the end of the shoe? Thanks so much!
Hey thanks for reaching out! They should fit the same as a normal shoe. So the front of the shoe should have a finger tip distance of room. It sounds like you might have to go wide too. Perhaps you’ve been doing this already, but check the store shoe size charts because some of them have instructions about how their shoes fit versus your street shoe size.
Got a purchase tip to share? Help someone out by writing it in the comments! I'll be answering the additional questions you have. Let's get the conversation started!
I am from the uk so I have always used Bloch for my tap shoes and jazz shoes. I have to have white ones that have wood stains on and they have no tap at the heel. But I have to have them for class.
Eleanor Shaw high heel is harder to learn on also your body posture is slightly different , how you carry your weight on heel then flat is slightly different . Flats r the best for beginner once you are advanced level then try high heel 👍🏻 however try both see what YOUR BODY needs or feels more comfortable in . Your shoes r an extension of you ,you need to move freely relaxed and not feel tired or back pain etc by just being on a heel . This is just a suggestion also ask your teacher or tap professionals . 😘
I agree with Eleanor. Start with flats then try heels. If you’re in “show biz” then tapping in heels will be a must, but it’s always best to learn with oxfords first.
It's harder in heels so if you are a complete beginner, it will just frustrate you. You weren't put in heels the moment you learned to walk. Also, if you aren't looking to go into show business, think about whether you want to tap in heels at all because outside of that and possibly the competition world, it's not like you will have to at any point. I personally chose not to bother as I never did intent to make money tapping and was never comfortable in heels. I NEVER wear heels and never have. And if I'm not comfortable, I'll just end up tapping less.
IF I take JSS Bloch in 8.5, what would be the equivalent Male size of JSS so i can get a wider toe box? and fit full orthotics inside? I had to stretch my womens 8.5 to reduce all around toe compression
It could just be the stiffness of the shoes that your child doesn't like so he/she is rejecting them for lack of that soft, cushy feel and "out of the box" mobility that street shoes have. To help you could bend the arches where her toes would crease the shoe to help break them in. With small kids myself I understand the struggle. I wish you luck!
Hi. I'm a beginner, an I am wondering if I should by shoes with low heels. The heels on my shoes are 4 centimeters high, and I somethimes feel like the are in the way when I am dancing om my toes 🙃
Hi Rustin! Thanks for these tips! Can you do a video on picking out a home practice floor? I want to get my kids started and I can teach them at home. I have a 7’x7’ space I can put mirrors up on but it’s carpeted and I want something portable. Have you done tiles? I saw a strip of Marley in your video too.
Hi Janneke! I use three thin wood panels that I bought from a hardware store and tape them on top of my kitchen flooring. I can show what I use and explain some other options in an upcoming video.
I don't foresee this getting a reply, but I'm an intermediate to advanced tap dancer who is a senior in High school. The tap shoe I'm using feels awkward, and it seems that my foot does not rest properly, resulting in not being able to have good sound or perform certain specialty moves like slides due to odd weight distribution. I have money to spend, and am looking for a decent suggestion that I could use for a good few years out of high school in various community or professional theater productions.It could just be size, but the shoe fits the description of the most common style, and are capezio. I think a shoe where the taps rest flatter would be better for my size 11 foot, but I would like some advice on what to buy. Thanks for your time!
My 5 yr old just got interested we went to a 2nd hand store .. and she's still in size Toddler 9. We have a brand called Freestyle ( MaryJanes) . My Question is Do you go True to size or would you size up ?
Most of the time true size or half size up works well. Each brand usually will have a size chart that tells you how much you should size up or down for their shoes.
I have a size 6 bloch and the same size bloch - character shoe with taps. The oxford just doesn't feel like it bends where my foot ends if that makes sense! The character shoe fits perfectly but I don't feel I have the support I need to do some more hallenging steps. Is it the size that is incorrect on the oxford?
Hello Rustin! Nice video but I still need some advice. I have a pair of tap dance shoes (Buckle Bar Top- Capezio) and I used them for about 10 years. I want to buy a new pair but I do not know what model to choose...What do you think are the best tap dance shoes for a woman? Thank you :)
Hi Dana! I would recommend a pair of low heeled oxford tap shoes such as the Capezio tic tap toe, cadence, or premiere. If you lasted 10 years on the buckle bars then the tic tac taps will do just fine. If you’re planning on enrolling in tap classes regularly and moving up in levels above beginning then I’d suggest you spent more money on a pair like the premiere or cadence that will give you more mileage out of the shoes.
Rustin Van Katwyk thank you very much for your advice! Well, I am not a beginner... I have shows and I teach but the problem is that in my country ( Romania) is hard to find good shoes in shops and for me is important to test them before buying but is impossible here so I will shop online based on people advises... Thank you very much, Rustin! 🤗
For flat feet I'd recommend getting a "wide" size or if that's not an option buying a larger size and using a cushioned insole to give you more support
Hi! Great info! I studied tap for about 10 yrs, when I was a teenager. I have a few pairs of shoes...Capezio and Bloch. I was wondering if you have a preference for any certain taps? Can you tell me more about the differences between different brands of taps? (without shoe). Thanx!
I prefer Capezio taps, specifically the three screw tele tones. The taps and shoes that only have one screw don’t last as long because they break after a year or so of hard tapping. What shoes are you looking into now?
Thanks for your reply! I have 2 pair of Capezio shoes, one with teletone taps, the other with Morgans aluminum Glass taps, one pair of Bloch shoes with Bloch shockwave taps, and a pair of Danshuz with Super taps. They all have 4 screws in the toe taps, except the Shockwaves...they have 3 screws.
I’ve been dancing for 15 years and I’ve been dancing in Capezio slip on tap shoes (with a split sole) for the past 8. I’ve finally had to replace them and the new ones aren’t fitting well. My heel is slipping out a lot. I have very narrow heels but a slightly wider toe area with extremely high arches. I’ve been considering getting k360’s or Ben and Miller shoes (possibly SporTaps?) because I’ve been dancing for so long, I want a better shoe but I also don’t want to spend that much on a pair of full sole shoes if I’m going to hate it. I only say this because I’m worried that the full sole may be uncomfortable with my high arches (haven’t had full sole shoes since before my foot stopped growing) but the split sole doesn’t offer enough support. Is there a specific shoe you recommend?
Sounds like you should try a low cost full sole shoe. The other option would be to have them customized at a shoe repair shop if you feel your feet need the extra tailoring.
Thank you! Check the toe distance to the front like you would for a regular shoe. The sides and heel can fit just a little more snug than normal because they’ll stretch a little as they get worn in. Oxfords will stretch more than a Mary Jane because MJs are plastic based and oxfords usually have more leather in them. Also, make sure to bring a pair of socks with you that the child will wear during class. I hope that helps. Let me know if you have more questions!
I highly recommend hard sole shoes. Split sole shoes take some getting used to even for experienced dancers. So I think you'll learn much faster with more stability in your shoe than with less.
Hard soles are best for beginners because they offer more support. Personally, I prefer split soles now that my feet are stronger because I have extremely flexible feet
You can. But to have a cobbler install the taps you'll probably need another layer of leather put on which after all is said and done you might just paying the same amount as a low cost pair of shoes.
The Dance Prof thank you! But I ended up getting capezios because the size was wrong and went to a store like u said! Thank you so much it helped me get started and now I can do singles, double, and triple time steps as well as some other moves!!!!!! Tapping is just a blast
Hey Daniel! I haven't danced in miller and bens yet, so I can only vouch for my K360s, and they're awesome. I've had them for 10 years and they still sound great. I want to get a k360 tap boot for my next pair. How long have you been tapping?
I have Miller & Ben shoes and I love them very much. They are very stable and the only shoes I can use to do a toe stand, I can't do that with the So Danca's or Bloch's
I just bought a pair of tap shoes from eBay. Do you know how to tell the difference between men and women shoes? I ordered one pair that came in today that were size 13.5 but were clearly women’s due to them not fitting me. I ordered a second pair that men’s 13.5 so hopefully they are legit.
@@TheDanceProf They didn’t unfortunately. I just ordered a men’s size 13 from Amazon since the reviews said they run big and I’m a size 14. Hopefully I have better luck with these. Do you know where I can get tap shoes for big feet?
I have a capezio Character shoe, Capezio told me which taps to purchase. I have them, but there are no instructions. I can imagine that I am to nail on the spacer with the provided nails, but they would go right through the sole, into the toe box, where my toes will be. They cannot occupy the same space as my flesh, so I am not sure what I am supposed to do... Get my local shoe repair add additional sole? Get shorter nails? I cannot find ANY information on how to do this myself, Makes me crazy when a co. sells things that they then do not provide support, instructions, videos, whatever. Sorry to post here, but you linked to these products, and I don't want to ruin the shoes, and I would like to use them.
Did you buy K360s? Just curious what you have. To answer your question, yes, take your shoes and tap to a cobbler and ask them to make a double build of leather soles and install the taps too. I haven't built up shoes for a few years so I'm not sure what prices are at these days, but my build cost somewhere around $70 dollars.
@@TheDanceProf I don't know the model, they are an old pair of Capezios I have had for many years and have not needed for a show, so I thought they would be good to use as tap shoes... Contacted Capezio, they told me which taps to buy, but failed to tell me about needing additional customization.
@@critifur I see. I don't recommend using character shoes as tap shoes primarily because of safety as you already mentioned. But secondly I wouldn't do it because it'll cost you the same amount of money, if not more, to customize your character shoes to be a safe pair of tap shoes to use. You're better off buying a pair of tap shoes because you'll have piece of mind knowing they'll be safe to use, with the taps already installed, which will save you a lot of hassle and money in the long run.
