stepdancer
Percussive foot performer
A stepdancer is someone who performs stepdancing—a style of dance emphasizing precise, rhythmic footwork while keeping the upper body relatively still.
The term most commonly refers to practitioners of Irish stepdancing, though similar traditions exist in Scottish, Appalachian, and other folk dance forms: The stepdancers competed at the festival.
Of the Emerald Isle
- CelticOf Irish-Welsh descent
- AppalachianEastern U.S. mountain region
- cloggingObstructing a passage
- jigSpirited folk dance
reel · hornpipe · Riverdance · heritage · folklore · regional · customs · culture
Raised performance platform
- costumeClothing for portrayal
- ghilliesSoft laced dance shoes
- hard shoesFootwear with inflexible soles
- wigArtificial head covering
solo · competition · recital · troupe · ensemble · audience · applause · spotlight
Light repeated touches
- shoesProtective foot coverings
- softshoeQuiet stage dancing
- trebleHigh frequency range
- batteringRepeated forceful striking
clicks · stamps · shuffles · hops · cuts · groundwork · beats · percussive
Rhythmic pulse or strike
- tempoRate of musical performance
- timingArt of choosing moments
- syncopationStressed unexpected beats
- pulseArterial blood throb
cadence · count · musicality · accents · percussive · downbeat · measure · groove
Irish
Of the Emerald Isle
- CelticOf Irish-Welsh descent
- AppalachianEastern U.S. mountain region
- cloggingObstructing a passage
jig · reel · hornpipe · Riverdance · heritage · folklore · regional · customs · culture · preservation
stage
Raised performance platform
- costumeClothing for portrayal
- ghilliesSoft laced dance shoes
- hard shoesFootwear with inflexible soles
wig · solo · competition · recital · troupe · ensemble · audience · applause · spotlight · choreography
taps
Light repeated touches
battering · clicks · stamps · shuffles · hops · cuts · groundwork · beats · percussive · steps
beat
Rhythmic pulse or strike
- tempoRate of musical performance
- timingArt of choosing moments
- syncopationStressed unexpected beats
pulse · cadence · count · musicality · accents · percussive · downbeat · measure · groove · precision
practice
Repeated work toward mastery
class · teacher · school · lessons · flexibility · conditioning · posture · turnout · stamina · muscle memory
stepdancerballet dancer
Performer of classical movement
contemporary dancer · belly dancer · ballerina · twirler · modern dancer
- Irish stepdanceTraditional Celtic percussive footwork