Step dance is a generic term for dance styles in which footwork is considered to be the most important part of the

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

and limb movements and styling are either restricted or considered irrelevant. Step-dancing is a percussive form of dance that employs hard-soled shoes and is synchronized with music played at a specified tempo using instruments like pipes,

whistle A whistle is a musical instrument which produces sound from a stream of gas, most commonly air. It is a type of Fipple, fipple flute, and may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means. Whistles vary in size from a s ...

s, fiddles, or puirt-a-beul (mouth music). It entails producing rhythmic beats through intricate and diverse footwork, involving striking heels, toes, and feet, all the while ensuring impeccable timing with the musical rhythms found in strathspey, reel, and jig compositions. The terminology used in percussive dance styles reflects a wide range of naming conventions, highlighting both shared features and unique distinctions. The umbrella term "percussive dance" encompasses dance forms where the foot serves as an intentional source of rhythmic sound, akin to a percussion instrument. The specific footwear associated with each style contributes to variations within this genre. While "percussive dance" is the overarching term, colloquially, "step dance" is commonly used. However, nuances exist in the application of this term across different communities. For example, in the Ottawa Valley tradition, the preferred term is "step-dancing" rather than "step dance". In

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, both "step dance" and "step-dancing" are recognized. The Irish-Newfoundland style may be referred to as either "Irish-Newfoundland step dance" or "Irish-Newfoundland tap". In

Métis The Métis ( , , , ) are a mixed-race Indigenous people whose historical homelands include Canada's three Prairie Provinces extending into parts of Ontario, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the northwest United States. They ha ...

and certain aboriginal communities, the practice is often known as "jigging", and in French, the dance form is called "la gigue".

Clog dancing

Step dancing includes

clog dancing Clog dancing is a form of step dance characterised by the wearing of inflexible, Clog (British), wooden soled clogs. Clog dancing developed into differing intricate forms both in Wales and also in the North of England. Welsh clog dancing mainly ...

in which the steps are performed by performers wearing

clogs Clogs are a type of footwear that has a thick, rigid sole typically made of wood, although in American English, shoes with rigid soles made of other materials are also called clogs. Traditional clogs remain in use as protective footwear in a ...

. The sound of the clogs against a hard surface produces a characteristic sound which is an important element of the dance.

Cape Breton step dance

The traditional

Cape Breton Cape Breton Island (, formerly '; or '; ) is a rugged and irregularly shaped island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The island accounts for 18.7% of Nova Scotia's total area. Although ...

step dance, reminiscent of the style brought by 19th-century

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

immigrants, is characterized by its exceptional precision. Throughout the dance, the feet stay close to the floor, executing each step with unwavering accuracy, ensuring no beats are missed. The repertoire consists of concise, symmetrical steps, with each foot taking precise positions. In contrast, contemporary Cape Breton step dance blends influences from various styles such as Irish, tap,

Acadian The Acadians (; , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, most descendants of Acadians live in either the Northern American region of Acadia, ...

, and Ottawa Valley step dance. These modern versions depart from the traditional precision, incorporating "offbeat" steps that don't strictly adhere to a four or eight-bar musical phrase. Additionally, asymmetrical elements introduce subtle divergences between the movements of each foot, deviating from the mirrored actions seen in the conventional dance form. The Cape Breton step dance is distinguished by its unique musical accompaniment, particularly the exceptional rendition of the strathspey performed skillfully by acclaimed Cape Breton fiddlers like Carl MacKenzie and Howie MacDonald. The heart of Cape Breton step dancing is closely linked to the captivating interplay of the "drive and the lift" inherent in the Cape Breton strathspey. What sets this dance apart from similar step dances globally is the incorporation of the Cape Breton-style strathspey, a musical expression less commonly found in other

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

regions where jigs and reels are more prevalent. In present-day Cape Breton step dance, the vibrant melodies of the

fiddle A fiddle is a Bow (music), bowed String instrument, string musical instrument, most often a violin or a bass. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including European classical music, classical music. Althou ...

, accompanied by the

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

, play a central role, marking a shift from an earlier period when the dance tradition was primarily influenced by the

piping Within industry, piping is a system of pipes used to convey fluids (liquids and gases) from one location to another. The engineering discipline of piping design studies the efficient transport of fluid. Industrial process piping (and accomp ...

tradition.

Irish step dance

Irish stepdance is a widespread form of step dance. The earliest ''feis'', or competition, occurred in 1897. It descends from traditional

Irish dance Irish dance refers to the traditional dance forms that originate in Ireland, including both solo and group dance forms, for social, competitive, and performance purposes. Irish dance has evolved over centuries and is believed to have its roots i ...

, but global popularity of the

Riverdance ''Riverdance'' is a theatrical show that consists mainly of traditional Irish music and dance. With a score composed by Bill Whelan, it originated as an interval act during the Eurovision Song Contest 1994, featuring Irish dancing champions J ...

troupe significantly altered its competitive form from traditional Irish standards. Both traditional and more modern competitive styles are characterized by the use of specific shoes and by costumes that can be remarkably elaborate. Irish stepdance is, as of 2017, the only form of step dance to which a Broadway production, '' Lord of the Dance'', has been devoted.

Other forms of step dance

Tap dancing Tap dance (or tap) is a form of dance that uses the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion; it is often accompanied by music. Tap dancing can also be performed with no musical accompaniment; the sound of the taps is its ow ...

is a modern form of step dancing taking its influence from a variety of older step-forms. A traditional form of individual step dancing is still found in certain areas of England such as East Anglia and Dartmoor. This style of dance is commonly performed informally in pubs to traditional folk tunes, with dancers often bringing a wooden board to dance on. Step dancing ("stomping") can also be found in other countries such as Malambo from Argentina and Zapateado from Mexico.

African-American stepping

Another form of step dancing, stepping, has been popularized by

National Pan-Hellenic Council The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a coalition, collaborative umbrella council composed of historically African American fraternities and sororities, commonly called the Divine Nine, and also referred to as Black Greek Letter Organi ...

. This step dance has

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

n roots and is an African American tradition as well as part of black history. The members of the

fraternities and sororities In North America, fraternities and sororities ( and ) are social clubs at colleges and universities. They are sometimes collectively referred to as Greek life or Greek-letter organizations, as well as collegiate fraternities or collegiate sorori ...

join in steps—elaborate synchronized group routines that are performed in competitions between the fraternities and sororities called "step shows". Step shows incorporate

cheerleading Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense Physical exercise, physical activity. It can be performed to motivate s ...

, military, and drill-team moves, especially the call-and-response element inherent in those forms. These aspects are not only important to the energy of stepping for entertainment use but also for bonding and pride within their organizations.

References