Happy Feet
Clogging with the West Virginia Kickers

RACHEL MOLENDA photos/South Charleston

TOP: (Front) Amanda Rogers, Anne Preston, Carol Good; (back) Katie Abbott, Laura Good and Emily Preston practice their steps at a recent rehearsal. MIDDLE: Carol Good watches instructor Lesley Meadows demonstrate a step. BOTTOM: The group rehearses a dance called “Little Red Riding Hood.”

By Sarah Abbott
South Charleston High School

Sometimes called the “melting pot” dance, Appalachian clogging is a lively form of entertainment. Instead of employing arm motions and graceful movements as the main forms of attraction, it has all eyes riveted to the cloggers’ feet, which beat out an almost hypnotizing rhythm in sync.

Clogging is a truly American dance form, but the origin of the name itself is Gaelic — “clog” means “time.” After all, timing is a crucial part of the dance for participants. They all have to do the steps in the same rhythm at the same time.

Clogging is primarily a North American dance, but it’s been influenced over time by the Cherokees, Africans and Russian gypsies, among others. Nowadays it’s much more complicated than it used to be, as elements of modern dances like hip hop and Canadian step dancing work their way into clogging routines.

In 2003, clog dancing was included as a competitive sport in the AAU Junior Olympics. Clogging teams exist all around the world, and U.S. teams have spread the sport to Europe and Asia, where they’ve been invited to perform.

Clog dancers are everywhere — even right here in Charleston.

Lesley Meadows heads two teams of local cloggers — the Mountain Valley Cloggers and the West Virginia Kickers. The Mountain Valley Cloggers is an adult team and the West Virginia Kickers, which is in its 19th year, is for teenagers.

Many of the teens on the current team have clogged for anywhere from five to 10 years. They represent several schools, including George Washington and South Charleston high schools and John Adams and Stonewall Jackson middle schools.

“I’ve been clogging since I was 4, so about 10 years,” said Anne Preston, a South Charleston High School freshman. “I just really enjoy doing it. I liked the dance and the people on the team.”

Meadows herself has clogged for 22 years. “When I first started, I went with my mom and aunt to Glenville Elementary for a class. I didn’t want to go, but I ended up liking it,” she recalled.

“I started a ladies’ team and kind of did that for a while, and then I started a kids’ team. It was one of the first kids’ clogging teams in West Virginia,” she said.

The West Virginia Kickers practice every Monday, and perform a minimum of five to six times throughout the year. They have performed at the Kentucky Apple Festival, Bob Evans Farm Festival and Symphony Sunday as well as for schools’ Outdoor Classroom programs, daycares and nursing homes.

Over the years, they’ve been invited to perform at Disney World, in France and in Hawaii along with various teams from across the nation, but the trips fell through. “Maybe one will work out one day,” Meadows said with a laugh.

Meadows also hopes to start competing in regional and national competitions soon with some of the veteran dancers.

In their show, the Kickers have a little something for everyone — from old-fashioned country square dances and line dances to pop music and even hip-hop. They’ll perform on New Year’s Eve at 7 and 9 p.m. at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater as part of the GoodNight celebration.

To get involved with the Kickers, call Meadows at 344-5806. She starts beginner classes when there is enough interest, and anyone who wants to learn can join.