Yes, adults can learn to tap dance because in tap-dancing, there is no age restriction. The oldest known tap dancer is 98-year old, Dinky, in the UK's Greatest Dancer show as reported by the Sun in 2020 (below image of Dinky from the Sun).
As an adult, learning tap dance can be awkward. Adult tap dance classes can be scary.
In tap dancing, you don’t use your body; it involves emotional feelings as well. When you enter in a dance class, you don’t know how your class-fellows are? There will be different dance levels in different studios. You can make your adult tap dance experience stress free.
7 Tips for Adults to learn Tap Dancing
Follow the below-given tips if you want to get the most out of your dance class.
It doesn’t matter why you want to join the tap dance class. If you wish to join tap dance class for fun or want to learn something new. Just relax and mentally prepare yourself for fun.
When you relax, it means you are preventing your ankles and feet from damage. It doesn’t matter whether you are an adult, children, or a senior citizen; you always need to make improvements. Even the pro dancers always try to improve their tap-dancing art. So, don’t worry about missteps, because in the beginning, you will do lots of stuff like that.
Most people are shy and hesitate to ask questions. Some adults hesitate to ask questions, and in this way, they can’t learn new things. Whenever you don’t understand something, raise your hand and ask questions.
It is not necessary that you are the only one who doesn’t get that point. There will be other students as well, but they are reluctant to ask questions. So in this way you can benefit them as well. Tap trainers get pleased when you ask questions.
In the beginning, when people have craze about learning tap dance, they go to their nearest dance supply store and pay lots of money to get dancewear and tap shoes.
If you are joining tap dance class just for fun then you can wear a t-shirt along with yoga pants and buy a full sole pair of shoes. Some dance studios have dress codes for adults, so you have to follow them. But most of the studios just demand tap shoes and wearing a dress in which you can easily move around.
Most of the adult tap classes are mixed level. So, a good teacher can easily handle and manage all his students. Most of the adults get discouraged in a class when other dance students have more experience than them.
You can take their help and learn from them. If a teacher is paying more attention to a student who has more experience in tap dancing, never let yourself down. If you have learned the basics of tap dancing, and want to master this art, then get help from your fellow students.
Tap dancing is a fun thing to learn. Some people consider it the easiest dance to learn and some would say, it is the hardest dance form. If you have never tapped before, then you will require a few weeks to show some progress. You definitely need some time to feel comfortable in your dancing shoes.
In tap dancing, you will have to do weight shifting and maintaining balance is not an easy task. So, it will take some time to set your feet in tap dancing. In the beginning, you might find this class challenging, but you will get used to it after some time.
You can’t make progress and prosper in any field without practice. As an adult, it is not easy to get time out of a busy schedule for dance practice. It becomes more challenging when you live in a complex apartment, where practicing is not that easy.
So the best way to deal with this issue is to practice tap dance during the daytime whenever you find some spare time. It is recommended to practice in socks, and it wouldn’t feel as good as it should be. But something is better than nothing. You can practice tap dancing wherever you find an opportunity. Keep tapping when people are standing still.
Being an adult, it is not easy to make improvements. Your classmates will be supportive instead of judgy during improvement sessions. If improvement sessions are not part of your tap dance class, then you can do this at home.
When you are learning, the improvisational tap is valuable. You will feel comfortable with your footwork and also with turning it into music. So, there is always time for improvement. Do it before it gets too late.
Benefits of tap dancing for adults
Adult age is the time when you can enjoy most of the benefits of tap dancing. During the age of 20 to 50 years, people face issues of fats, overweight, cardiovascular problems, and blood pressure. So, as an adult, you can enjoy lots of health benefits.
Tap dancing regulates the blood flow in arteries and reduces the risk of high blood pressure. It improves the cardiovascular system, and the risk of a heart attack is minimized. It makes you smarter. You can lose fat and weight in just a few days. So, it is not only a fun activity, it is an excellent workout.
Conclusion
Can adults learn to tap dance? Yes, adults can learn to tap dance. Although it would be challenging for them at the start, they can overcome these challenges by following the above-given tips. If you are an adult and want to learn tap dancing, you can be a good tap dancer if you can relax your nerves.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions.
Don’t rush into steps.
Learn the basics and get help from your fellow classmates. Stay committed to your class. Whenever you find spare time keep practicing it. You can’t be a perfect dancer until you practice it often.