Hi Al,

I'm not sure that rapper did beat tap however as I think that rapper dancers borrowed steps from clog dancing. Rapper was only really existing from c1800. If anything, tap may have come about through clog and appalachian step dancing. I don't think there is any connection between rapper and tap. Rapper isn't really something which affected step dance, more that rapper wad honed by already talented clog dancers taking up rapper.

I would suggest that the title of the thread would be clearer as ' Tap, Appalachian, Step, Clog Differences?

I doubt whether there is anything interesting about rapper stepping which cannot be said of clog dancing.

Although maybe someone could disagree?
Tom