Monday, October 21, 2013

30 Songs in 30 Days, Day 9 - A song that you can dance to

Dire Straits - Walk of Life

My 30 Day Song Challenge is definitely challenging me.

Let me be very clear. I do not dance. I am incapable. I am emotionally repressed. I will never be able to dance.

I can, however, clog.

For those who don't know, `Clogging is a truly American dance form that began in the Appalachian Mountains and now enjoys widespread popularity throughout the United States and around the world.

As the Appalachians were settled in the mid 1700′s by the Irish, Scottish, English and Dutch-Germans, the folk dances of each area met and began to combine in an impromptu foot-tapping style, the beginning of clog dancing as we know it today. Accompanied by rousing fiddle and bluegrass music, clogging was a means of personal expression in a land of newfound freedoms.
The word “Clog” comes from the Gaelic, and means “time”. Clogging is a dance that is done in time with the music-to the downbeat usually with the heel keeping rhythm (from clogon.com)`.
So, I'm not quite sure how clogging differs from tap, because we both wear tap shoes.
All I know is that I follow direction well, and it is surprisingly easy to memorize a CLOGGING routine. 
That's not dancing, it's following orders. 
To music. 
With tap shoes on.
ALL THAT! Clogging Group at Kentucky halftime

Walk of Life cue sheet

12 comments:

  1. My very first crush was a clogger in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. I was in sixth grade and we were on summer vacation and I thought I was totally in love with her LOL.

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    1. I didn't get started clogging until I was in my teens, so I missed out on being one of the adorable kid cloggers with the frilly dresses. I'm sure it's my mom's fault, lol.

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  2. Well you can officially do more than me, can't clog or dance haha

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    1. I'm telling you, it's all about following direction. Dancing, on the other hand, just isn't my thing. :)

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  3. Wahoo! Now I'm picturing you clogging to this song. Awesome song. Dancing was always my downfall--while in musical theater. Mom would never put me in ballet, no matter how I begged, so I blame that one on her. (And guess whose daughter IS in ballet.) ;)

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    1. Oh, I love ballet! Mean mom, lol! That is great that your daughter does it. I loved when my daughter was in ballet and we got to go to dance recitals, the school had classes from toddlers through senior citizens and they all performed. I loved it!

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  4. This was a really cool post! You are rockin' the 30-day Challenge, sweets. I was thinking 'clogging is dancing!' but then got to your bit about taking orders and I figured I will just leave it be! :)

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    1. Thanks! There are several ahead in the challenge that scare me a little but I'm trying not to think about them, lol.

      How about, clogging is following orders...with style!

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  5. What a great song...I have always loved Dire Straits and I envy you your ability to clog.

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    1. Thank you!, I love Dire Straits, too, and Mark Knopfler's solo stuff. Can't get enough of it.

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  6. Replies
    1. I don't think it is! You're just tapping you're feet to music while you jump up and down. Dancing is a bodily dorm of expression. I really think it's two different things. :)

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