THE SHUFFLIN’ SHOES CLOGGERS

by Cynthia Houck

In August 1992, an article in the Dallas Morning News showed a woman named Dee Dick, who founded The Shufflin’ Shoes Cloggers in 1990. She was going to teach clogging at Garland’s Holford Recreation Center near my home. Having always loved to dance, I signed up for a ten-week course and went to my first class on September 15. At almost 46, I was worried that I would be the only adult there, but there were twenty of us—nineteen women and one man. That first night, we just walked around the room, loosening up our knees and ankles and moving to the beat. The most complicated thing we learned was “step, rock, step, brush,” but Dee said I was doing it perfectly. I thought, “Yes! I can do this!” I ordered taps and glued them onto a pair of Keds. We learned several routines over the next few weeks and could dance to Dee’s call. That was the beginning of my love affair with clogging.

I continued my classes with experienced team members and new dancers and attended my first Texas Cloggers Rally in 1993. That year, I also attended the National Convention in Nashville where I participated with 6,000 cloggers in the Opryland parking lot, dancing to Rocky Top during the “World’s Longest Line Dance.” I was totally hooked on clogging, and before long I was performing with the Shoes.

Clogging is an All American dance that Dee described as combining square dancing with a noisier, more energetic form of tap dancing. Its influences are multi-ethnic: Scottish, Irish, English, Dutch, German, American Indian, and African. And, no. We don’t wear wooden shoes. Cloggers wear white or black lace-up dance oxfords. Each shoe has four taps—two on the toe and two on the heel—that jingle together to make a wonderful noise. Dee taught us Appalachian clogging that is danced in lines with all the dancers usually doing the same choreography. The word “clog” comes from Gaelic and means “time.” Clogging is done in time with the music—to the downbeat, usually with the heel keeping rhythm. Our team goal has always been to sound like one set of taps. We dance to all types of music and use floor work to make the routines more interesting. Most of our material is choreographed by our team members.

Thirty-three years later, now approaching 79, I am still dancing every week and still loving it. With clogging, I get exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise. I am a small boned woman with no sign of osteoporosis, for which I credit the weight bearing exercise of clogging. We often joke that we are fighting Alzheimer’s Disease by dancing, but studies have shown that dance can increase cognitive health. When we perform, no one calls the steps so we have to memorize the steps and sequence of the routines. Dance improves balance, movement, and coordination, as well as spatial navigating in relation to other people and places. It also improves mood. I can come to class after a rough day and leave feeling great. Because the movements can be adapted to lower impact, it’s possible to keep it safe for aging knees and hips while still getting the benefits of rhythmic movement.

Over the years, we have truly become a family. We have gained members and weight, lost members and jobs, acquired spouses, sons- and daughters-in-law, more children and advanced degrees, become grandparents, survived injuries/surgeries and moving to new homes, and enjoyed becoming friends as well as teammates.

Performing lets me share what I’ve learned. I have performed with The Shufflin’ Shoes at the Plano Balloon Festival, Candlelight at Old City Park, Dallas Zoo Lights, Lewisville Western Days, Rowlett DiverseCity, Turtle Creek Park, the Texas Cloggers Rally, the National Clogging Convention, and countless senior living facilities and private parties. Performing is not required, but it’s great fun for those who enjoy it. Bringing smiles to faces in the audience is a special reward.

When Dee Dick passed away in 2018, her daughter, Dana Lee, took over as Team Director. Dana is an excellent teacher and one of our choreographers. For more info, visit our website at https://planoclog.wixsite.com/shufflinshoes and The Shufflin’ Shoes Cloggers Facebook page. We hold classes every Thursday night from 7:30-10:00 at Destiny Devoted Dance, 1116 W. Parker Road #330 (Alma & Parker), Plano.