Appalachian Clogging has a rich history in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Dancers strike their heel, toe, and whole foot on the dance floor to create audible rhythms to the downbeat of “old-time” bluegrass songs. Clogging is strong today, bringing together the culture and celebration of Appalachian live music and social gatherings.
In the beginnings of American History, the Appalachian region was very isolated which caused folks to rely on each other not just for survival but also for entertainment. Most everyone could play an instrument, and after the work was done folks would gather, the fiddlers would rosin up their bows, and the clogging would go late into the night.
One major requirement for Clogging is the band. Traditionally bluegrass music is played with acoustic string instruments including the fiddle.
In this video, we have a special group of musicians who go by the name Strictly Strings. From Boone, North Carolina, Strictly Strings is a youth band that formed from an old-time fiddle class in the Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M) Program. Cecil Gurganus is well known in the region as a mentor for musicians who keep bluegrass alive and well.
The dance group in this video are the Green Grass Cloggers. They’ve been around since forming in 1971, performing around the world.
They typically wear colorful costumes but this is a bit more laid-back informal gathering, so we get to see these fine dancers in their natural settings.
The dancers form a line and ready themselves for the music. They make sure to line up male-female on down the line. And then the music kicks in.
It’s the announcer who starts things off by stepping to the front of the stage. He made sure to warn everyone that the stage has a drop-off. I wonder if that’s why he has a cast on his arm.
The announcer is a swinging dancer whether he has a cast on his arm or not. That cast doesn’t seem to affect him one way or the other.
Clogging is all about the movement of the feet, and the arms are traditionally at the side, with very little movement. That comes from the Irish history in the Appalachian region.
Irish immigrants brought their traditional Sean Nos Dance to America. Sean Nos is a looser version of the Lord Of The Dance synchronized routines that many have commonly seen.
With improvisation and low to ground footwork with free movement of the arms, Sean Nos can be seen as a big contributor to Appalachian Clogging.
Other dance styles that fused together to form American Clogging are English, Scottish, German, and Cherokee step dances. African rhythms and dance movements were an important influence as well.
It is said that Clogging is the predecessor of many well-known street dances today. Tap, Locking, Hakeem, stomping, and Gangsta Walking are but just a few.
Clogging can be broken into five separate types. Each with its own unique style and presence.
There’s the Shuffle Clogging, Cadence Clogging, Rhythm Clogging, Stomp Clogging, and Buck Dancing. You might be able to pick out some of these different styles in the dancers in this video.
Traditional Appalachian Clogging can be recognized by a loose, bent knees style involving dragging and sliding the foot across the floor. You’ll see this style in this video.
Many comments question the change of dancers at the beginning of the lineup.
The organizers say they aren’t sure why the dancer left the stage not to return, but ensure you that the Green Grass Dancers “get along amazingly.”
Click this video if you love bluegrass music and watching some really great clog dancers demonstrate some of that old-time tradition that is a unique part of American history.
Watch their fun dance below!
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