Step dance

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Step dance is a generic term for dance styles in which footwork is considered to be the most important part of the dance and limb movements and styling are either restricted or considered irrelevant.^{[citation needed]}

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, whistles, 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.^[2]

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.^[3]

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, 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 and certain aboriginal communities, the practice is often known as "jigging", and in French, the dance form is called "la gigue".^[3]