Blue Ridge Thunder Cloggers

When I first heard about the Blue Ridge Thunder Cloggers (BRTC), I immediately thought of the pretty little wooden shoes from Holland that hung on the wall in my parent’s house. Indeed, in a roundabout way, the modern form of “clogging” originated from that tradition of those unique shoes.

Clog dancing 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 keep the humidity high, important in cotton spinning. There is a theory that clogging or clog dancing arose in these mills as a result of the mill workers entertaining themselves by syncopating foot taps with the rhythmic sounds made by the loom shuttles.

From there, clogging migrated along with European immigrants to the Appalachians, and began to blend with the indigenous folk dances already inherent in these mountains. These were the beginnings of the modern tradition of clogging that still thrives in America today.
Here in Loudoun County, we have the opportunity to partake in this rich historical (and fun!) tradition that originated so close to our homes.

According to the BRTC website, “The Blue Ridge Thunder Cloggers bring a twist to traditional clogging. This percussive dance group provides toe-tapping fun for the whole family. Dancing to music of all styles (from bluegrass to pop) they’ll make you wanna dance.” BRTC formed in 1997 and is the only clogging group in Loudoun County. The group meets in a converted barn near Purcellville, Virginia and offers lessons to young and old alike, making this a wonderful family activity.

For those who prefer to participate as spectators, BRTC performs at many local festivals and fairs, school functions and community events and can be hired to perform at your special occasion. The dancers have also performed at some renowned events including the Olympic Weightlifting Trials Opening Ceremonies, the Christmas Tree Lighting and the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC. In August of 2005, this dedicated group even performed and co-hosted a workshop in Ireland! Joyce Guthrie, president of BRTC, says that “they consider themselves the Appalachian cousins of Irish dancing!” Joyce also states that “they are committed to preserving and promoting clogging as an art form.”

After researching the history of clogging, Loudoun County is clearly a richer place because of the clogging traditions being kept alive by the Blue Ridge Thunder Cloggers. As for me, I will never look at those wooden shoes hanging on my parents’ wall the same again!

To see the BRTC performance schedule or to learn about taking lessons, please visit their website at

http://blueridgethundercloggers.org/