How to do the Advanced Waltz Clog in Tap Dancing

The waltz clog is done in 3/4 time and traditionally was executed by dancers wearing clog shoes. The dance originated in Germany and became a part of American culture when German immigrants arrived in this country in the mid 1800s. The waltz clog is considered a folk dance. American dancer Pat Rooney popularized the waltz clog in the United States. A basic waltz clog consists of "step shuffle ball-change." The count is "1 and 2 and 3." In the advanced waltz clog, the dancer is doing a flap (brush step) instead of a step and she adds two heel drops to finish up the combination.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tap shoes

1. Flap on your right foot. A flap is a brush on the ball of your foot to the front followed by stepping down on that foot.

2. Shuffle on your left foot. Your weight is on your right foot; pick up your left foot and raise it slightly to the rear. Brush to the front on the ball of your foot and then brush to the back on the ball of the foot. Do the ball-change, which consists of stepping down and to the back on your left foot on the "ball" and then stepping down, and in place, on your right foot on the "change." The dancer transfers her weight from the "ball" foot to the "change" foot.

3. Drop your left heel. Your heel should already be lifted because you've stepped down on your left foot on the "ball." Tap dancers are supposed to dance on the balls of their feet, not flat-footed.

4. Drop your right heel.

5. Begin the advanced waltz clog step on your left foot: Flap on your left (brush step), shuffle on your right foot, ball on your right foot and change on your left foot, drop your right heel and then drop your left heel.

Tips & Warnings

• Go to the Resources section and watch the video demonstration by Emily Larew. She does the flap shuffle ball-change waltz clog. However, she does not drop her heels as is done in this version of the advanced waltz clog. Because you are doing a flap at the beginning of the step, this is considered a double waltz clog. If the dancer were doing a shuffle step shuffle ball-change, it would be considered a triple waltz clog. A quadruple waltz clog consists of "shuffle toe heel shuffle ball-change."

Resources

• Tap Dancing Demo by Emily Larew