Earl Scruggs & Clogging

Today I learned the sad news that bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs passed away. Even though I live in a big city world, he is a large part of this small town girl. So I would like to recognize him on this day and also tell you about myself.

Growing up I did not really participate in school team sports or clubs because my life revolved around 2 things: my church and dancing. When I tell people I was a dancer they automatically assume, ballet, jazz or tap. No way people! I was (am) something much cooler, I was (am) a clogger.

To answer you first question, no, I did not dance in wooden shoes.

Clogging (thank you wikipedia) is a type of North American folk dance that developed in Southern Appalachia (my hood) with roots in cultural milieu of traditional European dance steps combined with traditional Cherokee dance, in which the dancer's footwear is used musically by striking the heel, the toe, or both against the floor or each other to create audible percussive rhythms, usually to the downbeat with the heel keeping rhythm. Clogging was the social dance in the Appalachian Mountains as early as the 18th century.

So to answer your still lingering question... I danced in leather flats with taps on the heel and toe.

I clogged for 9 years of my life, 4th grade through my freshman year of college. During that time I participated in many competitions, folk festivals, recitals and parades. Our clogging group was always a sure hit due to the high energy performance and use of traditional bluegrass music. Hands down, our most popular dance was to Earl Scruggs, Foggy Mountain Breakdown. We would always end our show with this dance because it was a sure crowd pleaser, even though this dance only repeated a combination of four steps. While performing my heart was always filled with joy. I would scan the audience and without fail, everyone would be clapping with huge smiles on their faces. Some would even "whoop and holler". There is just something about this song that makes you joyful!

This is the best representation of clogging I could find that is most like old group (and yes I owned about 4 dresses like this). Foggy Mountain Cloggers

So to you Earl Scruggs, Foggy Mountain Breakdown is forever etched in my heart. Thanks for the toe tapping good time. Foggy Mountain Breakdown