I began learning to clog dance during my sophomore year of high school, and it quickly became a passion that merged my love for dance with a new cultural experience. Growing up as a dancer, I adapted to the movements quickly, but translating my tap skills to clogging terms and techniques was a challenge at first. Thankfully, my teacher’s positivity and enthusiasm for this traditional Appalachian dance style fueled my excitement and determination. Many people mistake clogging for “the dance with wooden shoes” (which is Dutch clogging), but these are Buck-style clogging shoes, named for the metal platform on the toe tips that allows dancers to execute intricate buck steps by shifting weight between the toes and heels.

What makes these shoes truly special is their story—they were handmade by a friend and gifted to me by my clogging instructor and her husband, a gesture that cemented my love for this art form. Since then, these shoes have traveled with me to dance studios and clogging workshops across the United States, from Gatlinburg, TN, to Nickel City, NY, and Jackson, MI. They hold the rhythm of countless dances and the promise of future adventures, and I can’t wait to see where they take me next!