| There are lots of shapes, styles, and colors of | | | | less likely to fail than a rivet. And if a screw does |
| tap shoes to choose from. All tap shoes have one | | | | for some reason become damaged, which I have |
| thing in common however, and that is the taps | | | | never heard of, you can easily remove it and |
| that are fastened to the bottom of them. That's | | | | replace it. Again you can identify a screw by |
| what makes a functional pair of tap shoes. | | | | looking for a slot for a screwdriver. You will see it |
| The first thing to look for is an inferior style of | | | | easily by flipping over the shoe and examining the |
| fastener to hold on the tap. This fastener is called | | | | tap. You won't be able to miss it. |
| a rivet. You can identify a riveted tap by looking | | | | Your last tip is to get a shoe with a solid heel. |
| at the fastener itself. Is there a slot to put a | | | | Hollow plastic heels are a sign of a very cheap |
| screwdriver in and remove the tap? If not than | | | | pair of tap shoes. Hollow heels don't give the |
| you are more than likely looking at a riveted tap. | | | | fastener, either rivet or screw, much material to |
| Rivets are great and a very strong fastener, | | | | bite into and hold the tap on. The tap can easily |
| ninety nine percent of the time. Every once in a | | | | pop and there's a good chance they will be |
| while a rivet is not fastened to the shoe properly | | | | unrepairable. |
| and becomes weak. As the student uses the | | | | Now if you find a pair of taps with both hollow |
| shoe the rivet becomes weaker and looser. It | | | | plastic heels and rivets you'll definitely want to |
| eventually comes loose and the tap pops. When | | | | save your money. Shoes combining both of these |
| this happens to a riveted tap the shoe cannot be | | | | undesirable features have been know not to last |
| repaired. The shoe has to be thrown away and | | | | through a single semester of tap dancing. You'll |
| you'll have to buy a new pair. | | | | mostly see this with children's tap shoes that are |
| Your second tip is the type of fastener that you | | | | suspiciously inexpensive compared to most of the |
| should be on the look out for. Always look for a | | | | other available shoes. |
| screw that is holding on the tap. A screw is much | | | | |