A solo dance section in which the dancer performs a tap routine, with the sound of the shoes on the floor forming part of the performance, marked out of 100 by the adjudicator.
Tap is the section for dancers who perform in tap shoes, where the feet are also the instrument. Every step makes a sound, so the adjudicator is listening as well as watching: the clarity of each tap, the evenness of the rhythm and the way the sounds sit against the music all count alongside posture, line and performance. In a dance programme it sits beside jazz, lyrical, contemporary and the other style sections, but it is judged on the sound and rhythm of the footwork more than any of them.
A round is one solo routine. The dancer is announced, takes the starting position and performs to music, or sometimes to a rhythm they create themselves, until the final step. A strong entry has a clear first phrase, steps that are crisp and audible rather than muffled, and changes of tempo or pattern that follow the music. Travelling steps, turns and shuffles should keep the same clean sound as the stationary ones, and the ending should land on the final beat rather than trail after it.
On the Shine Bright Dance Challenge template, which this page is written from, Tap appears as a solo section in the Babies Under 6 group only. Boys and girls compete together, no language is required, the solo runs to three minutes and the entry is marked out of 100 under the label Marks. The syllabus extract printed on the template does not describe tap-specific rules or marking criteria, so none are installed and the adjudicator's own sheet applies. Older dancers on that template take their tap in other forms, such as the troupe sections, so this item is the first taste of tap for the youngest entrants.
Organisers run it because tap rewards rhythm and discipline in a way other styles do not, and it is a popular item with audiences. For a coordinator using eTalenter it is entered like any other item: register each dancer in the right group, record the adjudicator's mark out of 100, and placings follow within the group.
Where Tap is run
In eTalenter's data a section titled Tap appears on fourteen Australian dance templates, from small one-day festivals to large multi-week dance challenges, usually as a solo style alongside jazz, lyrical, classical and contemporary. On the Shine Bright Dance Challenge template it is limited to the Babies Under 6 group. Tap sections are a standard part of dance eisteddfod and festival programmes; this page does not claim wider reach than the templates and well-established general practice support.
- Australia
Key facts
- Solo only, with boys and girls competing together and no language requirement.
- On the Shine Bright Dance Challenge template it is run for one group only, Babies Under 6.
- Time limit in the template: 3 minutes. Marks out of 100 under the label Marks.
- Carried by 14 dance templates in eTalenter's data, so rules for age bands, levels and timing vary by organiser.
- The template prints no judging criteria for the item, so none are installed; the adjudicator's own sheet decides.
- Idea starters, not rules: a routine built on a simple walking rhythm, a short piece that echoes a nursery tune, or a routine that starts silent and adds one new sound every eight counts.
On eTalenter, Tap is filed under Dance and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 14 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Tap is most often entered as an Individual competition, typically scored out of 100, commonly time-limited to 2–5 minutes where a limit is set.
What judges look at in Tap
What a Tap panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- Sound and clarity: every tap should be audible and distinct, with heel, toe and ball sounds clean rather than dragged or muffled.
- Rhythm and timing: steady pulse, steps placed exactly on the beat, and a tempo that does not rush or lag against the music.
- Technique and posture: weight over the feet, controlled arms and a lifted carriage, with difficulty matched to what the dancer can perform cleanly.
- Musicality and variety: changes of pattern, dynamics and direction that respond to the music instead of repeating one step.
- Performance and presentation: confidence, smile and stage use, with shoes, costume and music suited to the age of the dancer.
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Tap under Scoring Setup, or start from the full group dance judging criteria guide.
How to prepare for Tap
How entrants and their teachers usually get Tap right on the day:
- Practise on a hard, suitable floor so that you can hear the taps as the adjudicator will; a carpeted room hides unclear sounds.
- Count the routine aloud in eights until the rhythm is automatic, then dance it with the music.
- Keep the steps simple for the youngest dancers and make them clean; a few clear sounds beat a long, messy sequence.
- Check the tap plates are firmly fixed and the shoes fit well before the day, and bring a spare pair of laces.
- Rehearse the opening position and the final pose, so the routine starts and ends confidently.
- Run the routine in full against the clock and cut the music to fit the three-minute limit.
- Practise the performance too: eyes up, relaxed face and steady posture while the feet work.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tap judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter's templates it's most often run as an Individual entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
What is Tap in a dance competition?
It is a solo section in which the dancer performs a tap routine, judged on the sound and rhythm of the footwork as well as posture and performance.
How long is a Tap routine?
On the Shine Bright Dance Challenge template the solo runs to three minutes, and the entry is marked out of 100.
Is Tap judged individually or as a team?
This item is a solo section, judged individually and ranked within the dancer's own group. Group tap is entered in the separate troupe sections.
Who can enter Tap on this template?
The template carries Tap for the Babies Under 6 group only, with boys and girls competing together. Check the organiser's syllabus for the exact age rules.
Want the full judging picture? Read the full group dance judging criteria guide, or browse every dance competition item.
Try Tap in eTalenter
See every ready-made template that runs Tap, and install one as a live event — age groups, rules and scoring included.
