Vance's Fantastic Tap Dictionary
Sq - Z

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Stag Leap A leaping movement into the air with one leg extended straight to the side, the other knee flexed with the foot at the knee of the extended leg; more effective when executed at the oblique: Leap into the air from a closed position extending L leg diagonally back to L with the knee straight; the R foot elevated to the L knee with the R knee flexed, landing on R ft.
Stamp A step on the entire flat of the foot, taking weight. More commonly known today as a "Flat Step."
Step A placing of the front part of the foot firmly on the floor, taking weight; always executed on the ball of the foot unless otherwise noted.
Step Chug A stepping forward on the ball or flat of the foot, followed by a Chug which is an exaggerated heel drop.
Step Brush, Heel Drop A basic combining of tap movements:
A. Measure Count Movement    
1 1 Step L bk
and Brush R bk
2 Drop L heel
3 Step R bk
and Brush L bk
4 Drop R heel
Step Pull Also known as a Step, Slide: A step and slide back on the same foot. The term "Pull" has been used to mean a Back Brush.
Stomp A striking of the floor with the entire flat of the foot; this movement does not take weight. Today, this movement is more commonly referred to as a "Flat Tap".
Stomp Roll An old term - refers to a series of heel drops from side to side.
Stop Time A melody broken by the irregular flow of notes through the use of rests. In a simplified form, chords played on the first beat of each measure with a rest on the following three beats.
Strike With the weight on the heels of both feet, strike the toes together. More commonly called "Hit.".
Strut A distinctive style of movement which is usable in all forms of dance.
Stub Hit R toe against L heel or reverse.
Stub Toe Walk Basically, a movement from the Lancashire Clog:
and Drop L heel
1 1 Hit R heel against L toe
and Drop L ball
2 Step R (XF of L)
and Hit L toe against R heel
3 Step L (to L side)
Supporting Foot The foot on which the weight is placed.
Suzi-Q Dance craze of 1937: Clasp the hands and hold them extended in front of the body; slide on foot across in front of the other and step to the side with the opposite foot. The arms move to the R on the cross movement and to the L as you step on the L foot to the L side.
Swirl Bent knee turn: With the L knee bent and foot flat on the floor, execute a complete turn L while the R ft is ext. to the side.
Swivel Quarter or half turns executed on the balls of the feet. Feet do not leave the floor.
Syncopation A temporary displacing or shifting of the regular metrical accent. The commonest varieties occur when a sound is begun on an unaccented beat and continued through the following accented beat.
Tacit (Tacet) Step or steps danced without musical accompaniment; usually from 8 to 16 measures in length and normally occurs in the middle of a dance number.
Tag A musical phrase that is sometimes added to the end of a dance number; usually used for an exit or to proceed into another number.
Tanglefoot A tap movement derived from the Charleston Theme Step, consisting of the inward and outward motion of the toes. This movement is sometimes called a "Heel Twist." The following is one form of a Tanglefoot.
and Step L (to R ft) [A]
1 1 Dig R heel fwd (to R side),
toe raised
and Drop R ball (to R side)
2 Repeat A
and
3
and Step L (to R ft)
4 Step R (to R side),
toe turned in
a Drop R heel (to R side)
and Drop R ball (to R side)
a Repeat A
2 5
and
6 Repeat A
and
7
and Step L (flat)
8 Step R (flat)
Tango Any of several dances of spanish-American origin; best adapted for tap in a 4/4 time.
Tap A term that has been used in many and varied forms but basically is the striking of the free foot to the floor in any direction. This can pertain to the ball of the foot; the back edge of the heel with the toe up; the tip or point of the toe and could be a flat-footed movement. In no form does this movement take weight.
Tap Heel Same as a Heel Tap: Strike the back edge of the heel (toe up) to the floor in any desired direction. This movement does not take weight.
Tap Spring Same as a Tap, Leap: Tap R ball (to L ft); Leap fwd to R ft.
Tap, Step A combination of two tap sounds: Tap R ball fwd, Step R bk.
Terpischore The muse of dancing and choral song; a dancer.
Three A term of the old school of tap terminology; sometimes is referred to as a Triple. More commonly known as a Shuffle and a Step, employing three sounds.
Tiller A term that originated in the English music halls by John Tiller, referring to a line or group dancing in precision and executing high kicks and formations. Sometimes referred to as a "Line Number."
Time Step A repeatable combination that marks tempo.  Time Step can refer to an eight measure movement placed at the beginning of a dance routine. A total of six Time Steps were usually executed, followed by a Break (see Breaks). Originally used for the purpose of setting the tempo of a routine for the musicians as rehearsals were rarely exercised in small time vaudeville. There are countless variations of the Time Step.
Standard Time Step - Single:
8 and Shuffle R fwd
1 1 Hop L
2 Step R bk
and 3 Flap L fwd
and Step R
4 and Shuffle L fwd
2 5 Hop R
6 Step L bk
and 7 Flap R fwd
and Step L
Standard Double Time Step:
8 and Shuffle R fwd
1 1 Hop L
and 2 Flap R fwd
and 3 Flap L fwd
and Step R
4 and Shuffle L fwd
2 5 Hop R
and 6 Flap L fwd
and 7 Flap R fwd
and Step L
Standard Triple Time Step:
8 and Shuffle R fwd
1 1 Hop L
and a Shuffle R fwd (to R side)
2 Step R bk
and 3 Flap L fwd
and Step R
4 and Shuffle L fwd
2 5 Hop R
and a Shuffle L fwd (to L side)
6 Step L bk
and 7 Flap R fwd
and Step L
Standard Double Triple Time Step:
8 and Shuffle R fwd
1 1 Hop L
and a Shuffle R fwd (to R side)
2 Step R bk
and a Shuffle L fwd (to L side)
3 Leap fwd to L ft (to L side)
and Step R bk (XB of L)
4 and Shuffle L fwd
2 5 Hop R
and a Shuffle L fwd (to L side)
6 Step L bk
and a Shuffle R fwd (to R side)
7 Leap fwd to R ft (to R side)
and Step L  bk (XB of R)
Standard Toe Tap Time Step:
8 and Shuffle R fwd
1 1 Hop L
and Toe tap R bk
2 Step R bk
and 3 Flap L fwd
and Step R
4 and Shuffle L fwd
2 5 Hop R
and Toe tap L bk
6 Step L bk
and 7 Flap R fwd
and Step L
Stomp Time Step:
8 Flat tap R fwd (no wt)
and Brush R bk
1 1 Hop L
2 Step R bk
and 3 Flap L fwd
and Step R
4 Flat tap L fwd (no wt)
and Brush L bk
2 5 Hop R
6 Step L bk
and 7 Flap R fwd
and Step L
Single Traveling Time Step:
8 and Shuffle R fwd
1 1 Step R
and 2 Shuffle L fwd (to L side)
and 3 Ball change L-R (to R side)
and 4 Ball change L-R (to R side)
2 5 Hop R
6 Step L
and 7 Shuffle R fwd
and Step R
Off Beat Time Step:  Same as a Stomp Time Step.
Waltz Time Step:
1 1 Step L
and 2 Shuffle R fwd
and 3 Ball change R-L
4 Step R
2 and 5 Shuffle L fwd
and 6 Ball change L-R
Toe Back Same as a Toe Tap: Strike the point of the toe in back of the standing foot and immediately raise the foot from the floor. Does not take weight.
Toe Beat Same as a Toe Tap but the toe remains on the floor
Toe Click Same as Click Toes: With the weight on the heels of both feet (toes up) Strike the toes together.
Toe Dig Emphasized step fwd on the ball of the foot with the knee bent; a strut or jazz type movement.
Toe Drop With the weight on the heel (toe up), force the ball of the foot to the floor.
Toe-Heel An old term for a Brush R fwd, Dig R heel fwd (toe up).
Toe Stand A movement of the old school of tap wherein the dancer is on the points of both feet.
Toe Tap A striking of the point of the toe in any direction and immediately raising the foot from the floor. Normally, this movement does not take weight.
Toe Tip Same as a Toe Tap.
Trench A flash step of the old school consisting of slides back, alternating from one foot to the other and swinging the arms 180 degrees in a windmill fashion: With the weight on one foot, extend the other leg in the air, diagonally to the back or Upstage; slide back on the outer edge of the supporting foot, landing on the opposite foot; at the same spot from which the first slide started. When the movement is executed in this manner, the body is bent forward with the arms extended and in line with the shoulders. If the L leg is extended in the back on the beginning of the movement, the L arm would be extended forward and towards the floor. Trenches may also be executed forward with the body leaning back in a "Cake Walk" fashion.
Triplet A group of three tap sounds performed on each beat of music: e.g., "1 and a, 2 and a, etc."
Turns There are four basic turns associated with tap:
Right Inside Turn:  Pivoting on the R foot, execute a complete turn to the R in a forward movement.

Right Outside Turn:  Pivoting on the L foot, execute a complete turn to the R in a backward movement.

Left Inside Turn:  Pivoting on the L, execute a complete turn to the left in a forward movement.

Left Outside Turn:  Pivoting on the R foot, execute a complete turn to the left in a backward movement.
Two An "old school"  term for a Shuffle.
Two Step A movement commonly associated with the Fox Trot. Step R fwd (1), Close L to R ft (2), Step R fwd (3), Rest (4).
Upbeat The counts of "2" and "4" within a measure of music.
Upstage Direction away from the audience.
Vamp A musical introduction, or musical phrase which can be repeated indefinitely.
Waltz A kind of round dance executed to music in measures of three beats; 3/4 time. Step L fwd (1), Step R (to R side) (2), Close L to R ft (3).
Waltz Clog A dance in 3/4 time. Originally performed in clogs (wooden soles and heels of maple) which beat out a rhythm upon the floor. This form of dance today is usually performed in shoes with metal taps attached; has become a form of tap dancing. May refer to a Waltz Time Step.
Wings A wing, in the general sense of the word, is a movement executed on one foot while the other foot is in the air: With the toe of the supporting foot turned inward, brush the foot outward in a swishing movement, executed on the outer edge of the sole (AST lifting body upward in the air) then execute a back brush step on the descending movement (3 sounds). Some dancers, on the outward swishing movement, force the ankle to roll out.
Double Wings:  This movement is executed almost simultaneously but not quite. One foot should move slightly ahead of the other foot in order to achieve six distinct sounds.

Russian Wings:  Sometimes referred to as "Squat Wings."  Throw both feet forward and brush (AST body raises almost to a standing position) strike the heel of the right foot first and then the left. (Heel Scuffs); as the feet are returning, execute a back brush step R, followed by a back brush step L (AST returning to the squatting position) and land on both feet. This combination makes six distinct sounds; one example is "a 8 a and a 1."

Scratch Wings:  Same as Swap Wings.

Swap Wings:  With the weight on one foot, execute the first two sounds of the Wing on this foot, landing on the opposite foot for the third sound.

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