Flatfoot dancers, on the other hand, dance solo and tend to keep both feet close to the floor. They often keep a steady shuffle with one foot, freeing the other foot and leg to do some fancy moving. Cloggers often raise their feet high off the floor, some kicking higher than their head. Clogging is more structured and has certain universally accepted steps. The term is often used interchangeably with clogging, but it should not be. So perhaps we can say that flatfoot dancing is the mountain artistic reaction to hard-driving fiddle music. ‘‘The music just goes in your ear, down through your soul, and comes out through your feet,’’ an elderly West Virginia flatfoot dancer of note once said. A handful of salt scattered on the floor makes the feet glide much smoother.Flatfoot dancing is hard to define. His young nephew soon realized the secret. Spectators would marvel at how easily he would glide across the floor. I have heard my father retell stories of an uncle who was known around the area for his flatfootin’ skill. Often times, children learn traditions by simply watching their parents or grandparents. The history of flatfoot dancing goes back generations. Flatfoot dancing is a more casual style of dance where the feet seemingly glide across the floor to the rhythm of the sounds of fiddles and banjos. Clogging is a high stepping structured dance that is often performed in teams. Although the music is the same, actually the two styles of dancing are not. Grayson Highlands State Park is offering you the opportunity to join in the mountain culture this September with flatfoot dancing and more family fun.Įveryone is invited to give flatfoot dancing a try at Grayson Highlands State Parkįlatfoot dancing is often mistaken for clogging. There is one thing that brings the music to life and once you experience it, you will never be the same, flatfoot dancing. Mountain music is often associated with Southwest Virginia as the music is one of the well-known features of this area.
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