Preparation for these steps begins with both feet together and knees slightly bent. With weight on your left foot, lift your right foot slightly off the floor bending the right knee. Keep your body relaxed. The flap, shuffle, and ball change each has two sounds and is counted "and 1" or "a 1."
To execute a flap, brush your right foot forward, striking the toe---or ball---on the floor ("and"). Follow through and step, shifting your weight onto your right foot ("1"). Repeat the movements (brush step) on your left foot. The flap is distinguished by a shifting of weight from foot to foot. Practice doing flaps in place and moving forward in any direction around the room. Doing flaps quickly is similar to running.
A shuffle is done in place with two brushes of the ball hitting the floor. Brush your right foot forward ("and") and brush it back ("1"). Step onto your right foot to begin the movements on your left foot. Practice doing seven shuffles (and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and 7) and a step on the right foot (8). Do the same movements with your left foot. Keep your leg and foot relaxed to increase the speed of your shuffles.
Ball change is sometimes referred to as back-front. Step on the ball of your right foot (&). Step on your left foot slightly ahead of your right foot (1). Repeat the ball change seven times (and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and 7). Step on your right foot (8) to repeat the movements starting with your left foot.
There are several ways to put these steps together to form progressively harder steps or combinations. A shuffle followed by a ball change (shuffle ball change) can be done once or repeatedly. Follow it with a step to begin the combination on the opposite foot. Or a shuffle can be followed by a ball change, then a flap, and another ball change (shuffle ball change flap ball change). Flap ball change, executed repeatedly by alternating from the right foot to the left, is a popular combination for moving across the room.
Tap dancing requires frequent shifting of your weight from foot to foot. You will be able to perform the steps with greater speed and ease when you keep your weight over the balls of your feet. Also, keep your movements close to the floor.