Cascadian Mountain Dancing

Here is Seattle, we are seeing a influx not of wintery weather (in fact, it was a bit balmy today) but of traditional mountain dancing, otherwise known as clogging.

The mountain dancing tradition originated in the Appalachians as a modified folk dancing tradition drawn from the Scotch-Irish immigrant population, and incorporating nuances of many styles of dance in the early american melting pot. This style was popularized most notably by D. Ray White and his son, Jesco, the Dancing Outlaw. The White family is portrayed in several documentaries- the most outrageous being the Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, which is an film that is sure to entertain anyone who appreciates wild drunken dancing and debauchery. Here's a taste of Jesco from one of the earlier movies:

But not all mountain dancing enthusiast are wild glue sniffing nihilists. Some of them are very nice people who live right here in the Puget Sound area!

In Seattle's Phinney Ridge neighborhood, we have the Eclectic Cloggers, who run a class sponsored through UW Experimental College and Country Dance & Song Society.

The Emerald City Cloggers hold classes in Seattle Center. Apparently there is quite a variety of old-timey dancing to be done in Seattle and even an Old Time Festival coming up in Olympia in February.

Get some heavy soled shoes and a jug of white lightening then get out there to clog those winter blues away!