Clog dancing

Clog dancing is a form of step dance characterised by the wearing of inflexible, wooden soled clogs. Clog dancing developed into its most intricate form in the North of England, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham and the Lake District.

English clogs, with leather uppers and a sole cut from alder or sycamore were the regular, everyday footwear for working people all over Britain until the 1920s. Because of the wooden sole, they gave better protection for the foot on cold or very hot floors. They were more resilient when working in wet conditions and they took longer to wear out than regular leather soles and then it was cheaper to reclog than to replace a leather sole. English dancing clogs are tight and close fitting which allows the dancer a lot of control over the movements of their feet. English clogs with an iron or rubber protective layer on the sole are also worn for North west morris.

The main focus and skill of a step dancer is in the footwork: dancers can create many different types of sound using their feet alone. Clog dancing was often performed very casually, people would dance at home, in the pubs or in the street. The upper part of the body was kept motionless so it required little space.

In the 1800s clog dancing competitions became popular. Large amounts of money could be won or lost on the clog competitions which were seen as a type of sport. Like modern day jockeys, dancers would perform in colours which would have made them easy to identify. Both men and women danced in breeches which would have allowed their leg movements to be seen. Clog dancing was also performed on the stage. In the Victorian period clog dancing was a popular act in music hall or variety shows. Often people would wear special themed costumes as part of their act. The famous comedian Charlie Chaplin started his career in music hall as a clog dancer.

English clog dancing began in 19th century England during the Industrial Revolution. It is thought to have developed in the Lancashire cotton mills where wooden-soled clogs were preferred to leather soles because the floors were kept wet to help keep the humidity high, important in cotton spinning. At their breaks and lunches, they would have competitions, where they were judged on the best rhythm patterns. By the late 1800s they clog danced on proper stages at competitions. In these competitions, the judges would watch the routine and judge it according to footwork, precision, and technique. Clog dancers were a common sight at music halls throughout the 19th century and into the early 20th century. One such group was the The Eight Lancashire Lads which included a young Charlie Chaplin as one of its members.Dan Leno became the world champion clog dancer in the 1880s, although records show that competitive clog dancing was a frequent occurrence throughout the 19th century.

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