Learn to tap dance
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Tap turns your feet into a percussion instrument, so the first thing you learn is rhythm, not a routine. Short beginners' courses run for four to eight weeks, and some let you start in hard-soled shoes before you buy taps.
ModerateUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoorsWith othersUK and US
What it's really like
First classes are about rhythm and a handful of basic steps. Pineapple Dance Studios' six-week introduction covers tap elements, rhythm basics and musicality, and aims to get absolute beginners ready for a regular beginners' class. Its other introductory course builds the steps into a routine over five weeks and spends the sixth on a recap.
Shoe rules differ, so read the listing. Pineapple says tap shoes are not needed for its introduction and hard-soled shoes or trainers will do, and Broadway Dance Center's beginners can wear tap shoes or any hard-soled shoe that makes a loud sound. City Lit says no special footwear is needed to get started, but its beginners' course (eight dates from 11 January 2027) lists tap shoes as essential.
Ways in
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London | Tap dance: taster, Tuesday evening from 8 December 2026 | £29 |
| City Lit, London | Tap dance: beginners, eight Monday evening dates from 11 January 2027; tap shoes essential | £199, or £139 concession |
| Pineapple Dance Studios | Introduction to Tap: six Sunday classes of 60 minutes (spring 2026); hard-soled shoes or trainers | £89, including the membership fee |
| 92NY, New York | Tap (Absolute Beginner): Wednesdays 12-1pm, 18 November to 20 January | $154 |
| Broadway Dance Center | Absolute Beginner Workshops: four or six weekly classes of 90 minutes, age 18 and over | Not listed on the page |
Pineapple's courses are non-refundable, but cancelling at least 48 hours before the start gets account credit. Broadway Dance Center gives no refunds after the first class.
How to start
- Book a taster or a short beginners' course: City Lit in London runs a one-off taster, Pineapple Dance Studios a six-week introduction, and 92NY in New York an absolute-beginner class.
- Check the footwear rule before the first class; some introductions accept hard-soled shoes or trainers, while City Lit's beginners' course says tap shoes are essential.
- If you want a goal later on, ask your teacher about the ISTD's adult tap tests, which run at Bronze, Silver and Gold.
Where to go
- City Lit: beginners' tap dance courses and taster (London) UK
- Pineapple Dance Studios: Introduction to Tap, six-week course UK
- 92NY: Tap (Absolute Beginner), adult dance class (New York) US
- Broadway Dance Center: Absolute Beginner Workshops, including tap US
We opened these links on 8 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Do I need tap shoes for my first tap class?
Not always. Pineapple Dance Studios' introduction accepts hard-soled shoes or trainers, but City Lit's beginners' course says tap shoes are essential, so check the listing.
Can adults learn tap dancing from scratch?
Yes. City Lit, Pineapple, 92NY and Broadway Dance Center all run classes for complete beginners; Broadway Dance Center's workshops are for adults aged 18 and over with no experience.
What do you learn in a beginner tap class?
Basic steps, rhythm and musicality. 92NY's absolute-beginner class also covers basic tap vocabulary, warm-ups and class etiquette.
Are there tap exams for adults?
The ISTD sells notes for its adult popular tap tests at Bronze, Silver and Gold. Its graded tap class examinations run from Grade 1 to Grade 6 and are taken in the usual class with an examiner watching.
Where this comes from: City Lit, Tap dance courses for beginners; Pineapple Dance Studios, Introduction to Tap with Amy Ireland (6 weeks); Pineapple Dance Studios, Intro to Tap with Connor Hughes (6 weeks); 92NY, Tap (Absolute Beginner); Broadway Dance Center, Absolute Beginner Workshops; ISTD shop, Adult Popular Tap Notes for Bronze, Silver and Gold; ISTD, Tap class examinations; Next Avenue, 85-Year-Old Can Now Cross Tap Dancing Off His Bucket List. Opened 8 November 2026.
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