Clogging Workshop

Have you ever watched clogging? I saw a bit of clogging in Ithaca, NY, as a teen on vacation with my parents. I also saw some clogging at Tweetsie Railroad in North Carolina several years ago, on a family vacation. Both of which I would consider to be more of the mountain style of clogging.

About 3 years ago we learned that there is a local 4H group of Cloggers. Our neighbor had been involved with the group that year. The following Fall, my two oldest children joined the group. We haven't looked back! They have so much fun! I get so much joy from just watching them! The following year, the next child joined and this year, my second youngest joined. My youngest needs to wait 2 years to be old enough to join.

Yesterday my three oldest and I attended a clogging workshop. This was our second time attending. It is such a fun day! They start instruction at 10 am and break for lunch and then have more instruction in the afternoon until 4 pm. Then, there are exhibitions in the evening. Our group has tryouts for this exhibition. They learn the steps to a new routine, that their leader(s) has choreographed, over a period of several weeks. Then, about six weeks before this workshop, they have to try out for the routine. If they get through the try outs, they have four weeks to perfect the routine.

This year the routine was a difficult one. They did a tribute to Michael Jackson with Motown. They worked so hard on the routine and were still struggling with a few sticky parts in the afternoon before the exhibition. It's a large group, so precision and synchronization are a big deal. They did such an incredible job and NAILED the routine! I wish I could post a video, but there's a lot involved in that, particularly getting permission from the other parents. Then, there's the sad, sad fact that somehow during the night, I had pressed the record button in between routines and didn't realize it. So, instead of actually recording their routine, I have a shot of the closed curtain! Oh, was I frustrated with myself! Fortunately, my friend I was sitting with, who also is a clogging mom, got the routine on her camera! She's going to make a copy for me, so I can have something to show the rest of the family!!! Next year I'll pay closer attention. I have all of last year's exhibition recorded.

I have to tell you, that my totally unbiased opinion is, that our group is in the top three groups that have performed this year and last year! I wish there was judging so I could tell you just how awesome they are!