Clogging – it’s not just for y
By JoshuasHands
With computers, cell phones, Wii, and more, why would anyone want to clog? Maybe you should ask some of the young people who dance with the Blue Ridge Thunder Cloggers (BRTC). Whatever they’re doing over there, it’s working. Young people are all over the dance floor. Generations dance together. The music ranges from pop to country and techno, with a little bit of everything in between! It’s an American tradition that stays alive and continues to attract young feet.
Clogging developed when settlers to America gathered for times of fun and relaxation. Each community brought music and dance from their homeland to share with their new neighbors and friends. In the American spirit, those dances merged to become America’s dance – clogging. Some of the early dancers would clog in work boots that made lots of noise on wooden floors. Later, dancers would pound nails or bottle caps into the soles of their shoes so their fancy footwork could be heard. Today, cloggers wear leather shoes with metal taps on the bottom. The footwear may have changed, but the enthusiasm hasn’t.
Just ask Rachel Guthrie. She’s been dancing since she was four years old. Now she’s 16 and the 2009 All-Around Female Amateur Soloist at the World of Clogging Championships in Ohio. Rachel dances with BRTC. She also teaches for them and will be the assistant instructor at the July clogging camp – a first for BRTC. This camp will take beginners (ages 8-16) who have no experience in clogging and have them dancing routines by the end of the week.
Ask Bailey (9), an award winning clogger who brought home a first place trophy for solos and duos (with her fellow dancer, Tylea) from the Orange County Clogging Competition.
Or ask Jillian Dickson. She’s 18 and dances with great joy. A student at Shenandoah University, Jillian is the recipient of BRTC’s 2009 Rise and Shine Scholarship.
Or maybe you should talk to Tylea, Jesse, Zach, Hannah, Ethan, Jenny, Jeff, Olivia, Dana, Grace, Reed, Daniel, Holly, Abbey, Molly, Monica, Abigail, Anna, Emily, Timothy, Phillip, Emma or Erin – just some of the young dancers with BRTC. Any one of them would tell you about the fun they have and the friends they’ve made through clogging.
Lest you think clogging is ONLY for the young – you should be aware that BRTC believes “Cloggers Dance from the Heart!” As Loudoun County’s only clogging group, BRTC currently has more than 60 dancers ranging in age from 8-70. It’s one of the wonderful settings where gender and age are irrelevant, and participation keeps you young.
Weekly Classes for beginners start on September 3. No prior dance experience necessary!
www.BRTC.us 540-454-TOEZ
info@BRTC.us
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