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Tap Your Heart Out

by Megan

Good morning, lovelies! You may have seen this post last month when I guest posted on Our Reflection, and now I thought it was time to post it here as well! If you are looking for socially-relevant commentary, look elsewhere today. If you want to have fun, keep reading!

Today you are getting a tap dancing lesson.

For realz.

Okay, everyone up. Yes, I’m serious. Even you, up!

I’m going to teach you how to do a “paradiddle.” This step is also called a “paddle-and-roll,” but we are going to use “paradiddle” because it goes to the beat of the step. In other words, as you do the step, you can say “paradiddle, paradiddle, paradiddle…” and it will go to the beat of your feet.

Stand with your feet just slightly apart, in a relaxed stance. Fast footwork comes from loose hips more than from your feet themselves, so get rid of any tension from your hips to your ankles. Okay, here we go!

Keeping all your weight on your left foot, pick up your right foot and place your heel slightly in front of you, on the floor. That’s “par” of “paradiddle.

Yep, my feet.

Next, you are going to pick up your right foot, but as you do that, you are going to “spank” your right toe on the floor, as your foot leaves the ground. That’s the second “a” of “para…” I’m showing the movement below in two steps, but it’s ONE sound!

That’s the first half! Heel, spank. “Para.”

Now you have your right foot up, and you are going to put it back down in two parts. First your toe, then your heel. Put your right toe back down where it started, next to your left foot. Then, just drop your right heel so your foot is flat on the ground. Those two sounds make up “diddle.”

As you finish the step, transfer your weight to your right foot, and repeat the sequence on your left foot. Then go back and forth and see how fast you can go! And that’s pretty much it! Heel, spank, toe, heel. “Paradiddle.” Emphasis is on the first count. ONE-two-three-four, ONE-two-three-four.

Here is a short clip of me doing the step, plus a few fancier combinations you can do with it:

Did you do it?! I want to hear all about it!

Thanks for reading dancing!

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9 comments

Dalayna Dillon June 17, 2012 - 6:13am

Wow! It looks so easy when it is laid out like that! You were super impressive when you got going though. It would probably take me a loooong time to get going as fast as you were, but I can do it!!!….. kinda. lol

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Kimberly June 19, 2012 - 2:07am

This is incredibly fun! I saw this on the Not Your Ordinary Link Up Party & hopped over to see your post first. It was the shoes!! I would wear these shoes (w/out the taps). LOVE THEM.

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Megan10e June 19, 2012 - 7:00pm

Thanks Kimberly! I actually have two pairs of non-tap shoes that are really similar! Here is one of them: . Glad you enjoyed it!

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Kimberly June 20, 2012 - 5:46am

Thanks for the tip. I went to the site and Pinned them on my Pinterest board. I’m going to consider getting these because they are SUPER cute!!

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