The popularity of clogging on N.C. State’s campus has grown exponentially since the University first began offering it as a class back in the 1980’s. Three decades later, State is one of only two Division I schools with a nationally competitive clogging team.
The clogging club’s origins date back to 1989. While the team is now a part of club sports at the University, it began as nothing more than a class. The first class soon became two classes and the second class formed a team that started competing. State no longer offers the course. The club team is hoping to get a class started again that would teach the history of the dance and provide the opportunity to teach students interested in learning.
The primary focus of the team is to promote and preserve the folk art and tradition of clogging through performance, service and competition. Clogging developed in the Appalachian mountain ranges, adopting different elements of dance from the diverse cultures of the people inhabiting the area.
“Coming to school and being on this team was my connection to how the dance was created,” club president Katie Aiello said. “We all came from different places with different styles and learned to dance together.”
Clogging consists of many styles of high-energy dance set to all kinds of music, from bluegrass to hip-hop. These high-energy performances and the dances’ diverse background, coupled with the wide range of styles of musical influence, create opportunities to share the culture, fun and excitement with people of all ages and nationalities.
“It is very fun to watch,” senior and varsity cheerleader Peter Domenig said. “It’s new modern twists on folk dances.”
The team has performed in more than 250 local and international competitions and gained national prominence through winning performances.
“In my experience here over the last three years, I have gotten to watch N.C. State clogging grow nationally and here on campus,” vice president Derek Starnes said.
In addition to competition, the team also dedicates time to community service in Raleigh and surrounding areas. Along with performing for different events for N.C. State, the team performs every May in Duke Children’s Hospital’s Rainbow of Heroes Walk.
The national prominence has even created quite a recruiting program for the club.
“Having an opportunity to compete nationally and represent the school was important in my decision to come to N.C. State,” club secretary Erica Starnes said.
The squad is recruiting new members, and the next tryout will be Thursday in the dance studio on the second floor of Carmichael Gym from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The team last competed this past weekend at the Foothills Clogging Challenge, finishing overall grand champions in the running set hoedown dance and finishing in second place in three other events. The team next competes Sept. 18 at the Magic Feet Ultimate Challenge in preparation for Nationals this October.
The club’s website is http://www.ncsu.edu/stud_orgs/clogging/. On the website, viewers can book the team for event performances, see its schedule, learn a brief history of clogging, find contact information for club members and coaches, fill out tryout information, learn about the awards the team has won and view pictures and videos.
