Tap shoe with taps sterling silver clip charm .925 Dance charms

This is a Tap shoe sterling silver charm on a lobster clip fitting. Tap dancing is one of the few dance styles where the dancer is also a musician. The metal plates, or “taps”, fixed to the toe and heel of each shoe turn every step into a beat. This sterling silver tap shoe charm shows those taps in detail, so it looks like the real thing. Tap grew up in America in the 19th century. It mixed rhythmic dance with Irish jigs and English clog dancing to create something completely new. In the early 20th century it took over vaudeville stages and then Hollywood. Stars such as Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and the Nicholas Brothers dazzled audiences with fast footwork and effortless style. Later, Gregory Hines and a new generation of dancers kept the art alive and pushed it in new directions. Tap is built on steps with names like shuffles, flaps, ball changes and the classic time step. Dancers combine them into rhythms that can be soft and swinging or loud and explosive. Many tap dancers call themselves “hoofers”, a nod to the style’s down-to-earth roots. Made from solid 925 sterling silver, this charm is a lovely keepsake for anyone who has ever laced up a pair of tap shoes. It suits dance students, teachers, performers and fans of musical theatre. You could give it to mark a first show, a dance exam, a competition win or many years of lessons. Add it to a charm bracelet to celebrate the joy of making music with your feet.