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C.L.O.G. Today -    
Official Newsletter of the National Clogging Leaders Organization
 

CLOG Today is published bi-monthly by CLOG, Inc.
3054 Ashly Pines Drive
Snellville GA USA 30078-4550
Phone: (770) 985-5557  Fax: (603) 925-0967
clog@clog.org  www.clog.org 

CLOG Today (formerly known as the Flop-Eared Mule) is the official newsletter for the National Clogging Leaders Organization, published by cloggers, for cloggers, in an effort to share clogging news and promote the Clogging dance form.

Send news items, advertising, comments and /or suggestions to:
Kelli McChesney, CLOG Today
  P 0 Box 1895
 Alachua, FL USA 32616
 (386) 462-KLOG (5564)

For information on joining C. L. 0. G. and the benefits of becoming a member, fill out and send in the application in this issue, or contact us at 770-985 -5557, or E-Mail clog@clog.org. Check out our Web site at  www.clog.org 

All Star Hall of Fame
The National Clogging and Hoedown Championships has decided to establish an All-Star Hall of Fame to honor some of the people who have done so much to promote clogging and keep it alive. There are many more who deserve this honor - but we have to limit the number of inductees.

There will be new inductees each year and the all-star team directors are automatically included so let's welcome our first inductees:: Peggy Masters, All-Star Hall of Fame Director; Chip Summey, Missy Shinoski, Colleen Pearson, Marcie Powell, Stan Webb, Sherry Glass-Cox, David Spencer, Blake Bartlett, Scotty Bilz, and Joel Harrison. Not pictured: Charlie Burns, JoAnn Gibbs, Shannon Kerpics, Matt Pearson, Steve Smith, Jean Stephenson, Judy Waymouth, and Chip Woodall.

UpComing Clogging Events 
Dances, Competitions and Workshops throughout the World
 See also:  http://www.clog.org/NCHC/2006-schedule.html                  http://www.clog.org/NCHC/2007-schedule.html   http://www.clog.org/clogtoday/events.html 

For More Information, Amendments & Updates,

Contact Competition@Clog.org

Shop C.L.O.G.
Shop the C.L.O.G. Resource Library today and find a great selection of clogging books, instructional videos, and music, Order from a list of resources featuring the talents of internationally recognized instructors addressing the needs of beginner, intermediate, advanced and traditional cloggers. This is your one-stop clogging resource shop!
Visit the store at www.clog.org

Make it FUN!
By Steve Smith, Georgetown, KY

INSTRUCTOR INSIGHT

When I first started to teach the art of clogging, I was very structured with lesson plans and had definite ideas about what I wanted my students to learn each week. I handed out "practice sheets" and pushed my students to keep up with my predetermined schedule of how they should progress.

It didn't take long for me to find out that while the "serious" students did fine under such a demanding regimen, the bulk of folks who were there for the fan of it soon fell behind never to catch up again. I had missed a golden opportunity to help them feel confident in their ability to clog. By placing too much emphasis on their progress I insured that they didn't come back.

IF YOU WANT YOUR STUDENTS TO RETURN THEN YOU MUST CREATE THE CONDITIONS THAT WILL MAKE THEM WANT TO RETURN. THEY MUST HAVE FUN! Students come to classes for many reasons but whether they come for exercise, sociability, or for the challenge, they all want TO HAVE FUN. If they don't, then they won't come back.

New teachers will often approach me and ask for advice on how to build up their classes. More times than not, I discover through the conversation that due to their inexperience and uneasiness, they often try to give their students more than they can absorb and as a result, lose people due to frustration. My own classes began to swell when I actively tried to make them more fun. How can YOU do that? Here are some things that have worked for me.

(1) Personalize your class. Tell jokes, make wisecracks, tell them something about yourself, laugh when you make mistakes on the floor, share your humanness, tease, act silly, joke with your co-teacher. I say things like, "Everybody that's had a good day make some noise". Those students applaud and cheer. Then I say, "Everyone whose had a bad day hiss and boo." And they do! Icebreakers like these loosen people up and begin to create an energy in the class that stimulates people to return.

(2) Go slowly. One of the soundest pieces of advice that I can give you is this: Teach slowly!!! The tendency is to teach too fast in order to give the students their money's worth and to prove to yourself that they are learning a lot. Don't fall into this trap! I have lost ten students for going too fast for every one student that I have lost for going too slow. Quick learners can always slow down and be somewhat bored, but they probably won't leave you because they like clogging and know that you will eventually move on to new material.

It is quite a different story for slow learners. When they get behind, they are behind for good. Their feeling is not one of impatience like the quick learner but that of frustration, selfcriticalness, and rejection. While there will always be some who fall in this category no matter how slowly you teach, they should be few and far between. Students need confidence in their abilities or they won't return. Teach slowly so they will!

(3) Mix easy "step dances" and "fun dances" with the clogging instruction so that people can feet a sense of accomplishment. All work and no play makes for a DULL class.

(4) Start the class with something everyone can do and end the class the same way. People remember the beginning and the end of a class.

(5) Finally, lighten up as a teacher and so will your students. Most have been at school or work all day and they are tired of working hard. Help them have fun and relieve their stress and they'll stick with you forever.

I'm cloggingly yours,
Steve Smith

Source: CLOG Today Sept-Oct, 2003

The Encyclopedia Of Traditional Appalachian Square Dancing
by Bill Nichols and Garland Steele

Limited Edition First now available exclusively through C. L. 0. G.
$75 plus $6 shipping and handling

A hard bound, two volume, 862 page history based on the lifelong experience and recollections of Bill Nichols and Garland Steele, renouned experts in this form of dance. The Encyclopedia is published by The National Clogging Leaders Organization, Inc.

Contact: Audrey & Ellis Perry, 103 Pawnee Ct., Durham, NC 27712  (919) 477-5621