Clogging: A Brief History of Clog Dancers

The clog Dance or clogging is the most popular form of the Folk Dance. Barney Williams who arrived in U.S in 1840, was the first person who took clog dancing as a profession. Irish clog dancers became the first professional troupe in the U.S. The clog dance became the basis for tap dance as well.

In the beginning, the clog dance was done on complete wooden shoes, but later it made use of shoes with wooden soles only. In 1760s' due to migration, clogging found its way in the Appalachian Mountain Area. Due to this diversification and encounters with different cultures, clogging evolved into the American clog dance and various other American dance forms. 

Clog contests were quite trendy in the 19th century where judges were more focused on the sounds produced rather than body postures of the dancers.

The most complex form of clogging are the Irish Jigs, Hornpipes and Reels. In these forms, in a span of fifteen seconds, the feet taps the floor around seventy times. The fascinating part of clogging is its absolute dissimilarity from other dance forms as there is no role of facial expressions. Also, the arms are kept motionless. The black crook, which is regarded as the first musical performed in 1866, introduced the minstrel and clog dancers who had an inflexible way of dancing. They were later came to be known as pedestal dancers. The Pedestal dancer would stand on a marbled or gilded pedestal, apparently like a statue. As soon as the show would begin, they would start clogging on the pedestal, only moving their feet and legs.

 

The minstrel clog dancers gradually came to be associated with tap dancing in the early 1900’s. Master Juba became the most famous name among them. For a long time both tap and clog dance remained synonymous. This proved to be detrimental for the originality of clog dance as it was gradually fused with the African-American shuffle dance by the end of 19^th century. 

In 1902, a musical play called ‘Minstrel Misses’ which was directed by Ned Wayburn brought the term ‘Tap and Step dance’ in people’s notice. It was from there, the popularity of tap dance took off and people started accepting it as a profession. The Misses performed in light clogs sandals with split wooden soles as the aluminum heel and toes taps were not present at that time.