Tap Dance

Tap dance was born in the 20th century. It is most developed in the United States but is popular all around the world.

The grandparents may well have been

1. Spanish flamenco, where nails are hammered into the front part of the dancers' shoes so that the rhythm of their steps can be heard
2. Clog dancing, for example from Lancashire, where there may well be no accompanying music, just the noise of the shoes
3. African welly boot dance. Same deal
4. African dance to drum rhythms.

In the end we have a terrific art form where the performer is both dancer and musician.