<p>I should clarify that at the University of Oklahoma only those students who are tappers were asked to tap. IJElkiss and others are right that if you can only take one dance class to take ballet as it is fundamental for dance. If you can take a second class I think jazz might be the next most important. Jazz dancing can help in tapping, but tapping doesn't help in jazz dancing. Tap musicals are a subgenre of musical, but jazz is useful for almost all musical theatre dancing.</p>
<p>mtmommy is very wise!</p>
<p>The Syracuse dance audition was mostly jazz with a little tap combination at the end. My D says that experienced dancers won't have trouble, but that others will be challenged.
Dance is a bonus and a lot can be learned in a couple of years if you can put in the time (one & a half to three hours a week.) We hired a private instructor for our D over the past two years because fitting into the dance school's class schedule was not possible with plays and other lessons. It was VERY beneficial and I highly recommend it. Plan to pay about the same as you would for voice, acting or piano instruction. D had stopped taking ballet at pre-point is sixth grade because she wanted to focus on jazz, hip hop and tap. Recently teacher took her back to the ballet for reasons already posted.</p>