| Have you ever wanted to do something excitingly | | | | on a fairly hard surface. Today, organized clogging is |
| challenging to you, while knowing it's good for you | | | | done mostly within local clogging groups under the |
| and won't require lots of boring work from you. | | | | leaderships of certified instructors. These groups |
| Then, that something is clog dancing, also called | | | | meet and practice in schools, gymnasiums, churches, |
| clogging. You can do it solo, with a partner, or within | | | | civic centers, ballrooms, garages, or homes large |
| a group. All three ways are fun, fun, fun. Also, if you | | | | enough to accommodate them. Membership includes |
| join an organized clogging group, you'll find yourself | | | | all ages and types, both adults and youngsters. |
| having a new set friends while becoming more | | | | These groups often have members who compete |
| acceptable to yourself and your peers. Since clogging | | | | regularly at regional clogging events in addition to their |
| groups are special in their own way, you will be, too. | | | | having leisurely in-group fun. Many of the competitive |
| What is clogging? | | | | dancers are young people, who can learn it easily, |
| Several sources describe the American form of | | | | and do it fast. |
| clogging as hillbilly-tapping or foot-stomping folk | | | | Because these groups are generally nonprofit and |
| dancing, where the dancer makes musically | | | | semi-private, only a few of them are listed in the |
| synchronized sounds with his/her feet. In the past, it | | | | yellow pages. Still, clogging groups exist everywhere |
| was done to mountain and bluegrass music with | | | | in North America, similar to the way square-dance |
| high-kicking leg movements combined with foot | | | | clubs do. If you have a square-dance club nearby, |
| shuffling, stomping, and tapping. Nowadays, it's done | | | | chances are they can point you toward a clogging |
| to many kinds of music the same way. Kids and | | | | group. Some clogging groups can also be found on |
| teenagers generally do it at high speed, faster and | | | | the Internet. |
| more precise than adults. | | | | Additionally, in the regions where clogging has been |
| Where did clogging come from? | | | | done routinely for decades, the local cloggers might |
| Clogging dates back to the 16th-Century-or-prior | | | | get together spontaneously without much |
| European folk dances and jigs. It's been traced to the | | | | organization. These cloggers will show up at local |
| dances done by the Scotch-Irish steppers, Dutch | | | | parks, community events, or county fairs, where |
| cloggers (done in wooden shoes or in soft shoes | | | | small portable wooden clogging floors and recorded |
| having wooden soles), Euro-Russian gypsies, and | | | | music are available to them and anyone else who |
| English-French-German folk-dancers. In this continent, | | | | wants to try it. A fiddler, guitarist, or banjo player |
| it evolved into its own early style through the | | | | might show up there, too. |
| immigrants who settled in Canada, the Appalachian | | | | How is clogging organized? |
| Mountains, and the hill regions of the South. Among all | | | | Modern clogging groups are organized under nonprofit |
| the early settlers who liked to stomp and dance | | | | federations. That is, each group operates under its |
| were the Native Americans, frontiersmen, African | | | | own bylaws and the general provisions of a state |
| Americans, cowboys, farmers, ranchers, and the | | | | board or council. The state board or council might |
| backwoods, hill-abiding, and small-town folks. All of | | | | sponsor annual workshops for the local chartered |
| these regional sects have influenced the clogging | | | | groups to attend. Such workshops offer expert |
| styles in one way or another at one time or another. | | | | clogging instruction, demonstrations, competitions, and |
| Today, it's being shaped further through | | | | entertainment, like, performances, games, or parties |
| contemporary clogging groups, and through the | | | | of sorts. They'll also provide displays of recent music, |
| various kinds of modern music in addition to the | | | | cue sheets, equipment sources, and other clogging |
| traditional ones. | | | | information. |
| How is clogging taught or done? | | | | What does it cost? |
| Generally, clogging is learned in groups under an | | | | Generally, group members pay annual dues to keep |
| instructor who carefully teaches its terminology and | | | | the group solvent, about $20-50. The dues cover the |
| step-routines, and who makes sure it's done to the | | | | cost of rental space, member insurance, and a |
| time of the music. However, if no such group is | | | | newsletter. For guest beginners, the only cost is for |
| nearby, instructional videos and DVD's can be found | | | | the instruction, $10-50, for about 10 weeks of |
| in a few dance shops and on the Internet. | | | | classes, one-to-two nights a week. If you decide to |
| Briefly, the basic clog step is a double-toe tap done | | | | go further into clogging after graduating, you'll need |
| with one of your feet, followed by stepping on the | | | | leather clogging shoes with "jingle" (double-action) |
| balls of each foot. First, starting with your left foot, | | | | taps attached to them, $35-70. The dues and shoes |
| brush your toe forward and then backward, tap-tap, | | | | are the main costs. Normally, the dress codes are |
| and then step on the same foot (ball). Immediately | | | | casual, T-shirts and jeans or shorts, for weekly |
| following that left tap-tap-ball movement, step onto | | | | lessons or practice sessions. You won't need special |
| your right ball, and then step back onto your left | | | | clothing unless you decide to perform competitively |
| one, once more. That's it, the basic step, | | | | with the group, or to perform with them |
| left-toe-tap-forward, left-toe-tap-backward, | | | | entertainingly for local charities, senior centers, |
| left-step-ball, right-step-ball, left-step-ball. | | | | conventions, and festivals. Even so, the outfits often |
| Now, repeat this step movement starting with your | | | | are homemade. |
| right foot, and then again with your left one, | | | | What else? |
| alternately. Once you have learned to repeat this | | | | Clogging groups are family friendly and socially fun. |
| step continuously in a light-footed manner, you will be | | | | Because children are included in them, these groups |
| able to do the slight variations it easily. As your | | | | maintain high behavior standards for its membership. |
| balance and knee-bending capabilities increase, you'll | | | | They hold many get-togethers, potlucks, holiday |
| move into longer and slightly varied routines based on | | | | parties, and fun times for everyone. Yet, some |
| these steps. Additionally, you'll be able to do them | | | | groups are setup for the grownups or for youth only. |
| solo, with a partner, or within a group as in line | | | | This condition occurs for the older grownups whose |
| dancing or as a team. You can also develop your | | | | kids have left home, or for the youth who travel |
| own solo freestyle routines. | | | | frequently to many competitions. Still other groups |
| Note: the initial double-toe tap of the basic step can | | | | might be subdivided into both grownups and youth |
| also be done as a heel-toe tap as it's sometimes | | | | for training purposes. This kind of organization means |
| done in certain parts of the country. The basic | | | | participation of some kind of is available to almost |
| movement is same as above, except the initial | | | | everyone there. So, if you are looking for a clean, |
| toe-tap is replaced with a heel-tap, as | | | | fun way to burn off your energy, and to gain some |
| heel-tap-forward, toe-tap-backward, step-ball, | | | | of it back with other benefits at the same time, try |
| step-ball, step-ball and so forth. | | | | clog dancing. Your fancy footwork will glide you |
| Where is it done? | | | | gracefully over the floor, faster and more uniquely |
| Clogging can be learned or done anywhere, out in the | | | | than most folks can. |
| country, or in the villages, towns, and cities, usually | | | | |