October 2026: Soft Shoe Shim Sham

If you already know the Shim Sham usually done by Lindy Hoppers, take it to the next level by learning the tap routine that it is based on! Choreographed by Leonard Reed and Willie Bryant, the tap Shim Sham routine became widely known among entertainers in the 1930s and was often used as an all-hands finale for shows around Harlem. When Frankie Manning, one of the original Lindy Hoppers, began teaching around the world in the 1980s, he often taught his modified Shim Sham routine that is the version you know. Though you will be learning tap steps, wear your usual Lindy shoes. “Soft Shoe” refers to tapping in non-tap shoes.