Clogging is a traditional American folk dance, a true “melting pot” of dances.

Appalachian Clogging – normally called just Clogging – belongs to the big family of “Step dancing”, as well as the better known “tap dancing”.

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 eleven 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. 

Traditional clogging music is instrumental bluegrass 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.

Clogging is fun, challenging and greet exercise for the entire family. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. This is an activity that can be done individually as well as in a group.

Modern day clogging has state and national associations. With these there are workshops, newsletters and competitions provides for thousands of cloggers. Attending national events allows you to meet cloggers from all over the country and worldwide, as well as in your own state.