Why is Tap Dancing not as popular anymore?


There are so many dance enthusiasts in the world, but how many of them tap dance? Not many to say the least. Tap dancing is slowly fading out in some parts of the world, with less recognition in media, music trends changing, the difficulty of the dance, and the new age of vitality. 

In the past, we saw huge movie industries like Hollywood showcasing tap dance in their musicals. Families would gather around the television or go to the movie theaters to see many popular actors and actresses. Some popular movies include Singin' in the Rain and White Nights, and some famous celebrities like Shirley Temple, Gregory Hines, and The Nicolas Brothers. As time went on, seeing this dance style in Hollywood movies became less common. The fewer people who saw it, the fewer people who knew about it and gained interest in dancing tap. Now we see the surge in many musicals where tap dancing is still thriving. 


Music trends change as quickly as ever in the modern-day world. Tap is usually seen with music styles like jazz, but these styles aren't mainstream and are not popular with many people anymore. But there are some modern-day artists like Laufey, who still create jazz music that is popularized by the newer generations. Tap dancing can happen in any form of music if you really put the effort into it. 


Tap dancing isn’t the easiest dance to take up. I remember how the more I moved on in my tap dance levels, the more people left the program and pursued other dances. It’s actually hard. The rhythm, musicality, and coordination that is needed isn’t something many people can pick up in a heartbeat. Tap dancing requires constant practice and relies heavily on muscle memory, which takes lots of time. This causes many beginner artists to be easily unmotivated, because progress isn't seen immediately. 


Now more than ever, having virality is what popularizes many things. On TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X (Twitter), and many other social media platforms, people learn about new ideas. Dance styles like hip hop are popular with Gen-Z. The bold movements can be picked up by the camera easily, whereas the subtle and sometimes strong movements of tap dancing aren’t moves that can easily become viral. 


Tap dancing isn’t something we should let die as generations go by. Follow along as we build a strong community for many tap dancers to follow.  Follow our Instagram and Blog!


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