What is the Difference Between Tap and Clogging?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Tap dancing and clogging are both forms of dance that involve the use of special shoes with taps, creating rhythmic sounds and patterns. However, they have distinct differences in their styles, shoes, and movements:
Tap Dancing:
- Developed mainly in New York City in the mid-1800s, blending African rhythms and steps with European folk dances.
- Tap dancers are usually solo performers, and their dance form is more intricate than clogging.
- They often dance with a loose, fluid upper body and emphasize the upbeat in their movements.
- Tap shoes have a flat, rectangular piece of metal called a "flat tap" on the bottom.
Clogging:
- Clogging has its roots in European folk dances brought to the U.S. in the 1700s and 1800s by settlers from England, Ireland, and Scotland.
- Cloggers often dance in groups, arranged in straight lines, all performing the same movements and making the same sounds with their feet at the same time.
- Clogging is more flat-footed, with jumps being less frequent.
- Clogging shoes have a split, or articulated, tap, and some cloggers also use a "buck tap," a small, round piece of steel that creates a distinct sound when tapped against the floor.
In summary, tap dancing is a more intricate, solo performance, while clogging is a group-oriented dance with a more rhythmic focus. The shoes used in each dance style also differ, with flat taps for tap dancing and articulated taps or buck taps for clogging.
Comparative Table: Tap vs Clogging
Here is a table highlighting the differences between tap and clogging:
| Feature | Tap Dancing | Clogging |
|---|---|---|
| Shoes | Tap shoes have two adjustable metal taps, one on the heel and one on the toe. | Clogging shoes may have no metal taps, or they can have four taps in total, with heel and toe taps and an additional jingle tap. |
| Dance Style | Tap dancers usually perform alone and their movements are light, focusing on the melody and tempo of the music. | Clog dancers often dance in groups, in a line formation, performing the same steps simultaneously. They make most of their sounds with their heels and their movements are primarily heavy. |
| Rhythm | Tap dancers dance on the melody of a song rather than the downbeat. | Cloggers perform on the downbeat, with a focus on creating sound and stress on their feet. |
| Footwork | Tap dancers rarely make heavy movements, and their footwork is more oriented towards the tempo and melodies of the music. | Clogging consists of flat-footed techniques and several jumps, which create sound and more stress on their feet. |
| Group Dynamics | Tap dancing is more commonly a solo performance. | Clogging is typically performed in groups, with each dancer in a straight line doing the same movements and making the same sounds at the same time. |
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