AppalTappers Clogging Group

What is Clogging?

Firstly is should be said that the Appalachian or American form of Clogging is very different to that generally associated with the British.  Appalachian Clogging - normally called just Clogging - belongs to the big family of "Step dancing", as well as the  better known "tap dancing". Clogging and tap dancing have the same roots. But they separated during their evolution. Lately it's interesting to notice that they have come closer again.

Clogging developed from different European dances (for example Irish Jig and English traditional Clog Dancing). Cultivated especially in the Appalachian area of the United States it is known there as Appalachian Flat footing or sometimes as Buck dancing; from this, modern American Clogging developed in the thirties and forties.  

Clogging consists of eight basic movements, which form the foundation of all step combinations. Most of the time you start with the left foot.  Clogging is marked by emphasizing the downbeats, and by moving up and down all through the dance. Basically you can subdivide Clogging into Toe-Movements and Heel-Movements. The accentuation is on the Heel-Movements that gives you the rhythm. You dance with double layered taps similar to the ones used for tap dance. They are often called Jingle Taps. 

Traditionally it is danced to Blue Grass and Country & Western Music, but nowadays all type of music is used, from pop to techno, Irish and even Classical.  

Most of the time you dance on your own, without a partner, as in Line dances.  But there are Clogging routines with partners.

In former times the dances were spread verbally.  But then a written form was developed to pass on the choreography using  Cue sheets.  

The clogging leader is known as the Instructor.

In the United States there are several clogging publications that are devoted to clogging.

Interested in Clogging? Looking for a beginner Class? Contact Yvonne or Nigel  for more information.