Intermediate Traditional Appalachian Clogging

Mondays, September 21 through October 26: 8:00 - 9:00 PM

Traditional Appalachian Clogging (a.k.a flatfooting, buck dancing and jig dancing) is a truly “American” folk dance in the sense that it came into being organically from the intermixing of Irish, African and Indigenous cultures influencing each other. These three groups lived in proximity to each other along the Appalachian mountain range beginning somewhere around the late 18th century.

The traditional dances of these groups amalgamated into this rhythmic, percussive dance form that originally accompanied stringed instruments such as fiddle and banjo. The dancer didn’t follow a prescribed pattern or restrain themselves to a particular style, it was pure freestyle expression. The only rule is that the sounds the dancers make are in time with the music.

  • Tuition: $155 per participant

  • Materials Fee: None

  • Required Equipment: Students will need to wear smooth, hard soled shoes that make sound on a hard floor (think leather or hard soled dress shoes - these can often be found at a thrift store). Soft rubber soled shoes, tap shoes, or Dansko-style clogs are not recommended.

  • Age / Ability Level: Must have taken the Level 1 Intro class or have previous experience with Appalachian clogging or tap. Minimum age 15; 10 with an adult.

  • Level 2 will move beyond the foundational steps taught in Level 1 and introduce several “fancy” steps. The goal of the Level 2 class is to get dancers more comfortable with freestyling and creating their own combinations of steps. The class will move at a faster pace than Level 1 adding a new step every week. This 6 week course will close with a “hoedown” where dancers will perform in front of an invited audience of friends and family. We will dance to live music from Addie Rosenwinkel each week.

  • The class is designed for able-bodied people. Clogging can certainly be done by differently-abled bodies, but the instructor does not have experience teaching clogging in this way.

    CENTER FOR PEOPLE AND CRAFT is committed to building a diverse, inclusive learning community where people of all backgrounds feel welcome and able to participate. As we launch our first workshop series, we are dedicating space in each class for reduced-tuition scholarships to support anyone facing financial barriers. As we build a more robust scholarship program, we hope this initial launch will remove barriers and expand access to hands-on learning for all.

    Anyone with financial need is encouraged to apply for a half-tuition scholarship. To be considered, please submit a brief online application. Please note that CENTER FOR PEOPLE AND CRAFT is operating with limited financial resources and an entirely volunteer staff. Therefore, we cannot guarantee a spot for every applicant. Each class has one scholarship slot available. Applicants who are not selected in this current round are welcome to reapply.  Apply here

  • CPC is able to provide refunds up to two weeks before the start date of the class for which the registration was submitted, though we do retain a $20 fee for return payment processing. If you need to cancel your class within the two week window, a refund is not guaranteed, but will be considered based on several factors.

    If CPC needs to cancel a class due to low enrollment, teacher illness, or other factors, you will receive a full refund. Read our full set of policies.

meet your instructor and Musician

Andy Lambert has been clogging for over 20 years and is a former member of the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers, Pert Near Sandstone, and the Okee Dokee Brothers band. Having danced on stages all over the United States and Europe, Andy ran the Minneappalachian Clogging School from 2012 to 2016, and has taught several classes at North House Folk School.

Addie Rosenwinkel first heard old-time music in 2009, fell in love with clawhammer banjo, and hasn’t stopped playing since. You can find her laying down her smooth licks for fiddlers in kitchens and backyards across the Twin Cities. Addie has also become a fixture in the Minnesota old-time music circuit, thumping along on bass, guitar, and banjo for various configurations with the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers and at the Monday Night Square Dance. As a fellow sloyd enthusiast through her woodwork and basketry practice, Addie is thrilled to now share her musical joie de vivre with budding cloggers at the Center for People and Craft!