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Beginner Tap Dance Lesson for Seniors: Shuffle and Ball Change

Beginner Tap Dance Lesson for Seniors: Shuffle and Ball Change — video by Confederation Park 55+ Activity Centre Play · 27:40

Video by Confederation Park 55+ Activity Centre on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Joyce Reddy, who teaches ballet, tap and jazz at a Calgary 55+ centre, takes seniors from ankle warm-ups through ball, heel and toe taps in cha-cha rhythm, shuffles, ball changes and ball-heel walks to a short tap routine. Hold a chair or counter if you need balance.

  • 28 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • chair

Good forHealthy ageingDancing for funFun workouts

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Step by step 13

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Loosen your ankles: flex, point and circle them both ways. 1:54
  2. Ball, heel and toe taps in threes, holding a chair for balance if you need it. 2:20
  3. Practise the taps to music, turning with three steps each time. 4:28
  4. Cha-cha rhythm: tap slow, slow, quick-quick, slow, then walk around in that rhythm. 5:42
  5. Shuffle: swing the foot from the knee like a pendulum, then six shuffles and step around. 9:46
  6. Ball change: tuck the foot behind and step back-front; the extra step turns you round. 12:04
  7. In the centre: link ball, heel and toe taps with steps, then a shuffle-step. 13:38
  8. Shuffle ball change, then three of them followed by three stamps. 15:30
  9. Quicker rhythm: shuffles in double time, then stamps. 17:30
  10. Ball-heel walks: strike the ball, then drop the heel, moving in a circle and to the side. 18:52
  11. Routine: tap-step, heel-step, shuffle-step and a ball change, learnt slowly. 21:57
  12. Add the side moves with three heels, then go through it all from the beginning. 24:51
  13. Dance the whole routine up to speed with the music. 25:38

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep soft knees and loose ankles, and strike the floor firmly, like hammering a nail
  • Hold a chair, table or counter for balance if you need to
  • Wear solid, supportive shoes; rubber-soled running shoes don't make the sounds

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 1 take load

  • Ankles & feet takes loadball, heel and toe strikes, shuffles, ball-heel walks
  • Hips movesstepping, turning, side steps
  • Knees movessoft knees, shuffles from the knee, toe taps

Easier option from the coach: Hold a chair, table or counter for balance; step flat-footed if needed

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Confederation Park 55+ Activity Centre; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety