In the days of vaudeville and musical movies there were few tap dance choreographers.  There were tap soloists, duos and trios who performed short routines.   These routines usually consisted of  three or four choruses of  'time steps' (repetitive steps of 6 bars that ended with  two bar fancy breaks)  to conclude in the final chorus with trick steps and hand getters like wings, trenches, over the tops, and other athletic steps.    These flash steps would be accentuated by the increased volume and intensity of the music, and were guaranteed a big applause.  And even to this day these gimmicks, tricks, and "applause getters" are used more than ever to amaze and impress, guaranteed to "get a hand."

This formula was considered one of the reasons for the demise of tap dance around l955.  The audience began to demand more than a standard entertainment, they wanted a more unusual, fulfilling and artistic experience from dance.   Modern Dance and the concert stage replaced the tap act of the vaudeville or musical theater stage.