History of Clogging

Clogging is a truly American dance form that began in the Appalachian Mountains and now enjoys widespread popularity throughout the United States and around the world.

As the Appalachians were settled in the mid 1700's by the Irish, Scottish, English and Dutch-Germans, the folk dances of each area met and began to combine in an impromptu foot-tapping style, the beginning of clog dancing as we know it today. Accompanied by rousing fiddle and bluegrass music, clogging was a means of personal expression in a land of new found freedoms.

The word "Clog" comes from the Gaelic and means "Time". Clogging is a dance that is done in time with the music - to the downbeat - usually with the heel keeping rhythm.

As clogging made its way to the flatlands, other influences shaped it. From the Cherokee Indians, Africans, and Russian Gypsies, clogging has enveloped many different traditions to become truly a "melting pot" of step dances.

Clogging today is less impromptu and more complicated than the simple rhythmic dance begun by our ancestors. New influences are creeping into the dance because of popular culture. Tap dancing, Canadian Step Dancing, and even street dancing and hip-hop influences are being seen to bear on the style of steps and dances performed by cloggers today. Performing teams wearing brightly colored costumes, calico or sequins have sprung up everywhere, providing entertainment with impressive precision footwork. Clogging Competitions across the country bring together teams from East and West to vie for trophies, honors and cash prizes.