Have you ever wanted to do something excitingly challenging for yourself, knowing that it’s good for you and won’t require a lot of boring work on your part? So, that something is the dancing clog, also called a clog. You can do it alone, with a partner, or in a group. All three ways are fun, fun, and fun. Also, if you join an organized jamming group, you’ll have a new set of friends and become more palatable to yourself and your peers. Since Clogging Groups are special in their own way, so will you.

What is obstruction?

Various sources describe the American form of clogging as a hillbilly tapping or stomping folk dance, where the dancer makes musically synchronized sounds with their feet. In the past, it was done to mountain and bluegrass music with high leg movements combined with shuffling, stomping, and tapping. Today, it is done with many types of music in the same way. Children and adolescents generally do it at great speed, faster and with more precision than adults.

Where does the obstruction come from?

Clogging dates back to European folk dances and jigs of the 16th century or earlier. It has been traced to dances performed by Scotch-Irish steppers, Dutch cloggers (performed in wooden shoes or soft shoes with wooden soles), Euro-Russian gypsies, and English-French-German folk dancers. On this continent, it evolved into its own early style through immigrants who settled in Canada, the Appalachian Mountains, and the southern mountainous regions. Among all the early settlers who liked to stomp and dance were Native Americans, frontiersmen, African-Americans, cowboys, farmers, ranchers, and woodland dwellers, hill dwellers, and small villages. All of these regional sects have influenced plugging styles in one way or another at one time or another. Today, it is being further shaped by contemporary cluck groups and various types of modern music in addition to traditional ones.

How is obstruction taught or done?

Clogging is usually learned in groups under the direction of an instructor who carefully teaches the terminology and routines of the steps, and who makes sure it is done in time to the music. However, if there is no such group nearby, instructional videos and DVDs can be found in some dance stores and on the Internet.

Briefly, the basic obstruction step is a two-toed touch made with one of your feet, followed by stepping on the balls of each foot. First, starting with the left foot, brush the toe forward and then back, touch-touch, and then step on the same foot (ball). Immediately after that to the left tap-tap-ball move, step on your right ball and then step back on your left ball once more. That’s it, the basic step, left toe forward, left toe back, left step ball, right step ball, left step ball.

Now, repeat this stepping movement starting with the right foot and then again with the left, alternately. Once you have learned to repeat this step continuously and lightly, you will be able to perform the slight variations with ease. As your ability to balance and bend your knees increases, you’ll move on to longer, slightly varied routines based on these steps. In addition, you can do them alone, as a couple or within a group as a line dance or in a team. You can also develop your own solo freestyle routines.

Note: The initial two-toe touch of the basic step can also be done as a heel strike as is sometimes done in certain parts of the country. The basic movement is the same as above, except that the initial toe touch is replaced by a heel touch, like heel strike forward, toe strike back, step-ball, step-ball, step-ball Etc.

Where is it done?

Obstruction can be learned or done anywhere, in the countryside or in towns, cities and villages, usually on a fairly hard surface. Today, organized clogging is mostly done within local clogging groups under the leadership of certified instructors. These groups meet and practice in schools, gyms, churches, community centers, dance halls, garages, or houses large enough to accommodate them. Membership includes all ages and types, both adults and youth. These groups often have members who regularly compete in regional clogging events in addition to having some quiet group fun. Many of the competitive dancers are young, who can pick it up easily and do it fast.

Because these groups are generally not-for-profit and semi-private, only a few of them appear in the yellow pages. Still, jamming groups exist throughout North America, similar to how dance clubs do. If you have a square dance club nearby, chances are they can point you to a set of obstructions. Some clogging groups can also be found on the internet.

Also, in regions where filibustering has been done routinely for decades, local filibusters may assemble spontaneously without much organization. These jams will show up at local parks, community events, or county fairs, where the little portable wooden decks and recorded music are available to them and anyone else who wants to try it out. A violinist, guitarist or banjo player can also appear there.

How is the obstruction organized?

Modern jamming groups are organized into non-profit federations. That is, each group operates under its own laws and the general provisions of a state board or council. The state board or council could sponsor annual workshops for local chartered groups to attend. These workshops offer expert clogging instruction, demonstrations, competitions, and entertainment such as performances, games, or parties of all kinds. They will also provide recent music screens, cue sheets, team sources, and other clogging information.

How much does it cost?

Generally, group members pay an annual fee to maintain the group’s solvency, around $20-50. The due covers the cost of the rental space, member insurance and a newsletter. For invited beginners, the only cost is for instruction, $10-50, for about 10 weeks of classes, one or two nights a week. If you decide to go deeper into plugs after graduation, you’ll need leather plugging shoes with “jingle” (double action) taps attached, $35-70. Due and shoes are the main costs. Dress codes are typically casual, T-shirts and jeans or shorts, for weekly lessons or practice sessions. You won’t need special clothing unless you decide to perform competitively with the group or perform entertainingly with them for local charities, senior centers, conventions, and festivals. Even so, the outfits are usually homemade.

What other thing?

Clogging groups are family friendly and socially fun. Because children are included in them, these groups maintain high standards of behavior for their members. They organize many gatherings, potlucks, Christmas parties and fun times for everyone. However, some groups are set up for adults or youth only. This condition occurs for older adults whose children have left home, or for young people who travel frequently to many competitions. Still other groups could be subdivided into adults and youth for training purposes. This type of organization means that participation of some kind is available to almost everyone present. So if you’re looking for a clean and fun way to burn off your energy and get some of it back with other benefits at the same time, try clog dancing. Your sleek footwork will gracefully glide you across the floor, faster and more uniquely than most.