The Energy Requirement of Selected Tap Dance Routines

The primary purpose of this study was to measure the oxygen requirement of two tap dance routines. A secondary purpose was to determine if differences existed between beginning and intermediate tap dance students in the energy requirements for these dance routines. Fifteen female subjects, ranging in age from 17 to 26 years, participated in the study. Eight of the subjects were classified as beginners and seven as intermediates in their ability to tap dance. Each subject performed two tap dance routines, soft shoe and slow buck, to a medley of recorded music of 112 beats per minute (bpm). Expired gas samples were obtained from 2.5 to 3.5 and 3.5 to 4.5 minutes into each routine. There was a short rest period between routines. The mean and standard deviation of oxygen uptake was 16.6 ± 3.1 ml/kg · min for the soft shoe routine and 16.8 ± 3.4 ml/kg · min for the buck routine. There was no significant difference between these two routines or between the beginners and intermediates for the energy requirement of either dance routine (p > .05). The above values place tap dancing at 112 bpm at the same intensity as the waltz, foxtrot, rumba, Petronella, and Eightsome Reel.