I'd like to get an idea of how many current Step instructors are teaching using the Tap-Free Step style. "Tap-Free" means that when you exit the step with both feet, you always march right-left or left-right, and never step down and then tap the toe of the other foot and then use that same foot to step up onto the step for the next move.
I think that there is a misunderstanding by some Step instructors that Tap-Free Step is more advanced or difficult than the type of Step that uses taps. While some moves when converted to the Tap-Free style end up requiring some rotation of the body, most tap-free moves are simply smoother than their Tap-Full counterparts.
If you teach Step with taps, I'm interested to know why you haven't converted to Tap-Free. In my mind, Tap-Free Step is the modern state of Step aerobics. When Step first came out, it hadn't occurred to anyone to use something called "tap-free" moves. As Step evolved, someone eventually recognized how much smoother Step choreography could be if the tap-downs were removed. It has caught on across Step presenters/instructors, and yet I don't think it has filtered down to the local gyms.
When I first started teaching Step back in the early 1990s, I did the style with taps because we hadn't heard of "Tap-Free" Step. Eventually, I stopped teaching Step for several years, and when I had the opportunity to teach it again, I was bombarded with information about "Tap-Free" Step. So, I checked it out, and because I wanted to be on the cutting edge of Step choreography, I decided to go 100% tap-free. This means that not only does my final choreography contain zero taps, all of my breakdowns are also tap-free.
If you want to convert to Tap-Free Step, it's not as hard as you think it's going to be. In fact, your cueing will probably be simpler, since you'll never have to cue "tap down" again. Additionally, your class will probably never miss the taps... but they will realize that your choreography has become very smooth and flowing.
To convert to tap-free step, you simply have to find alternatives for only 3 moves:
- Over the Top/Across the Top - use a glute flyover instead for Over the Top.
- Turnstep - convert it to a shuffleturn, or turn-turn-cha-cha-cha.
- "A"-Step - well, this was never one of my favorite moves, so I don't lose sleep over the lack of this move.
Personally, I feel that beginners should never see a tap. I want them to experience 100% flowing, smooth choreography from their very first Step class. We don't walk with taps, so moving from right to left to right leg again is very natural. Sticking those taps in there just feels awkward.
I'm going to turn off the comment moderation on my blog so that comments can go directly to this blog, and let's all hope that I don't get a bunch of spam comments! If you're reading this on Facebook, I'd love to hear your comments, and especially if you are still teaching with taps, I'm interested to hear why you have elected not to convert to tap-free -- no judgment -- I just want you to enlighten me in case there is something I'm missing.
If you have successfully converted to Tap-Free Step, would you share your experience, your challenges with the conversion, and how you overcame those challenges? I'm very interested to hear what you have to say!
I have a genuine desire to do whatever I can to keep our Step classes FULL of happy, sweaty participants. If you have ideas on how we can accomplish this, please speak up and share your ideas!!!
In Step,
Dana
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