• Starting a clogging team/class
• Becoming a workshop instructor
• Beginner class material

Starting a clogging team/class

I hope that this handout from my seminar, "Starting A Clogging Group", will give you some ideas about how to start and maintain a clogging group. Includes information about dancer insurance, music licensing, and more.

Becoming a workshop instructor

In general, you do not need any teaching certifications to be a clogging instructor. You could begin by teaching local classes, doing some choreography, and then talking with workshop coordinators and volunteering to teach at local events until you become known and are invited to teach at other events (one opportunity would be the National Clogging Convention, which usually offers an "open teach" hall with teaching slots available on a first-come, first-serve basis).

You could also talk with local instructors for advice and consider apprenticing under them.

If you need a certification to teach at a school or studio or would prefer having a road map to becoming an instructor, there are clogging organizations that offer instructor training programs. Check with your state clogging organization for such programs, or consider the Certified Clogging Instructor (CCI) program offered through CLOG, Inc., which gives you a general guide on becoming an instructor as well as suggestions for class management, choreography, etc.

Beginner Class Material

• Beginning Clogging Level 1 - I like to use this handout to assist dancers in remembering the steps taught in class and learning how to read cue sheets (includes cue sheets for Cotton Eye Joe, Turkey In The Straw, Highway 40 Blues, and It Must Be Love).
• Cotton Eye Joe - This routine is very versatile and can be used for both beginner classes and audience participation in shows. The core of the routine is (4) Push-Offs/Chains and (8) Basics repeated until the music ends. For audience participation, I like to use (7) marching steps for the Push-Off (4 beats) and (3) marching steps for the Basic (2 beats). Not only is this super easy, but it gets people stomping and having a good time to the music rather than focusing on their footwork. In class, I like to add a "kick" before each set of marching steps, which holds the place of the "Double Toe" that will be taught in a later class. As the dancers learn more, eventually I convert their steps to the "real" routine that is linked above.
• Highway 40 Blues - beginner level
• It Must Be Love - beginner level
• Turkey In The Straw - beginner level
• Old Time Rock 'N' Roll - beginner level
• Life's A Dance - beginner+ level (slower music, great for low-impact and seniors classes)
• Consider other dances to take a break from clogging, such as the Cha Cha Slide, Hokey Pokey, Birdie Dance, etc.
• Even if you don't have a routine, you can still use the latest popular music in your classes by doing repetitive drills on the steps that have been taught, which is a great warm up and a good way to see how well your dancers are learning the names of the steps and understanding your cueing.