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The Fire-on-the-Mountain Cloggers
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The Fire on the Mountain Cloggers
feature traditional or freestyle clogging in addition to precision clog dance
routines and old time buck dancing. At 
almost
every show we present our version of the history of American clogging, where we
demonstrate the different 
ethnic
influences on this old time folk dance.
Included in our “History of Clogging” are Cherokee dance
steps, the English Lancaster clog, and the German polka. The German influence also includes a
demonstration of the shuplatler. Sometimes Professor Katzenjammer,
emcee on one of the dance stages, gets in on the act. We also feature an Irish segment we refer to
as RiverClog.
Our Silent Routine, which displays various
forms of clogging such as flat footing, precision clog dance, shuffling, buck
dancing, and the dragging clog, is always a favorite and the steps really
resonate on the wooden stages. The
pulsating taps create a staccato rhythm and the crowd often appears
mesmerized. The Texas Folklife Festival is an opportunity
to shine.
Occasionally
Fire on the Mountain Cloggers will perform in The
Clearing. This interactive venue at the
Festival is often the site of audience participation type events including a
watermelon seed spitting contest, trick roping, a contra dance workshop, a Hawaiian
luau, and other exciting activities. Frequently our dancers will participate in
learning the traditions of other cultures…a favorite Folklife
pastime is attempting 
to
master the Filipino Folk Dancers’ art of tinikling.