Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging with Tracy week 7 brought all sorts of bits and bobs and endings and riffs.  And ended at the market….

It has been so much fun learning how to be a dancer. I can’t get over it.  Although humbling at times — I have given up all pride, and just go with it.  Really, it is about time I stopped caring about what other people think… because I think…

Just one course with Carla…. and she’s practicing where??

This was the important stuff — what I actually learned.  The riffs.  One thing I definitely learned… it is the process, not the end results that count.  I may not be perfect, but I am having a heck of a good time.  And I just don’t want to be beating myself up about my performance.  I just want to dance.

Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Videos – Week 7

Uncle Joe   

Soldier’s Joy

Granny, Does Your Dog Bite?

And me getting jiggy while Teacher is explaining something….

Still working up to longer freestyle sessions… but I have to admit… these sessions are strenuous! Serious… a 5 minute song gives you quite a workout! And some of those fiddle tunes go on forever. I do look forward to a time when I can get my extremities to quiet down a little– not looking so much like I have hornets in my bloomers! I just have to be patient, right??

Until next week!

–Tracy

shopping cart cam set-up!

Want to see more about my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge– and the AFC Academy & Carla Gover?

Recent Posts

And Other Posts

JOIN ME ON TWITTER!

Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging was great this week — between the modules and the zoom get together. It’s week , and all about “moving” steps — and I was sort of all over with this one!

But for me — it is about learning, and about having a good time in the process.  

If you look at my blog, or social media pages,  you might wonder…  why is she doing all these NEW things.  Why all the challenges?  What is up with that??

I’ll tell you.  I think learning new things every day, or learning new ways to do things you already do… helps with neuroplasticity.  It builds new neuro-pathways throughout your brain.  Like maps of a city…. we tend to drive the same road over and over.  But by taking different roads to the same destination, or a new road to a new destination.. it builds and reinforces our brain’s cognitive function.  In short, It helps keep us sharp.

So get out there and drive those neuro-highways!  Or in my case… dance your way down them!!

Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Video – Week 6

This video features moving steps: Lone Ranger + GGC Jumps + Earl   

I had so much fun this week between practicing the Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging  module that Carla puts out every monday, and the Super fun Saturday Morning Zoomget together were we go over new stuff and old stuff.  I love learning the STOMP step… and think it is going to be a favorite in my freestyle sessions.  And I am thinking I will be practicing that in public — like at the local supermarket.  Now I just need a cart-cam to make videos!

But just to be honest… there was another really tricky sequence… and I just couldn’t make it happen… so I didn’t do a video.  Maybe I will do one midweek, and add it in.

Still working up to longer freestyle sessions… but I have to admit… these sessions are strenuous! Serious… 5 minutes at a stretch is a long time…. just to get through a song… and some of those fiddle songs go on forever. PLUS … if you are doing them at half speed….

Until next week!

–Tracy

Want to see more about my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge– and the AFC Academy & Carla Gover?

Recent Posts

And Other Posts

JOIN ME ON TWITTER!

This was a fun week in Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging. It’s week 5, and all about chug behinds and cross overs!

And I tell you, I felt like I had two left feet… and no sense of right and left.  Ok… the first is definitely true, but I do have a bit of a problem with the right & left thingy.  Driving in the car… the girls yell — “no Mom, the OTHER right! You have probably been with drivers like me.

It just makes learning more interesting. But my teacher is super.

Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Videos – Week 5

Video 1 is the first “smacks & chugs” sequence that I learned this week: Dudleys +  Eddies.    This one tested my balance… but I still had fun!

Video 2 for the second “smacks & chugs” sequence that I learned this week was Front Cross +  Back Chugs.   This was the easiest to do, but at full speed, my legs kept getting tangled up.  Just something to work on!

Video 3 for the third “smacks & chugs” sequence that I learned this week was Eddie +  Slide + Dudley. The slide was something that we learned in a previous module.    

This week was a lot of fun! And I can honestly say that over the last 5 weeks, dancing has become a part of my daily life.  I think about it throughout the day and often break into dance at random times throughout the day. Supermarket floors are the best.

I didn’t get as much freestyle dance practice in this week, although I did listen to some great fiddle tunes that our teacher generously shared. And started listening to the live streams of the Floyd Country Store!

Until next week!

–Tracy

Want to see more about my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge– and the AFC Academy & Carla Gover?

Recent Posts

And Other Posts

JOIN ME ON TWITTER!

I heard that if you can’t laugh at yourself…don’t take up Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging. It’s week 4…

And actually, I made that up.  But for me it makes sense.  This week has been challenging and fun… and I have laughed a lot at myself in the process.

I never understood that term… If you can’t laugh at yourself… who can you laugh at?  Personally, one of my favorite activities is laughing at myself. But I also like to laugh at other people… but not in a mean way.  We are all just funny creatures.  And the more we try… sometimes, the funnier we are.

That is the way it was with my dancing this week!

Thank goodness… my motto for this is “PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION.”  Takes a lot of the pressure off.

Week 4 is all about the legs!! And that means moving the whole leg.  And I got my legs all worn out!! And confused.  Heck, I am still working on getting those knees bending at the right time!

I laughed when I was practicing.  I laughed as I tried to make videos, and I laughed while I watched those videos. And that is a good thing.

One nice thing about making these videos is that it gives you a whole different perspective — you can see exactly what you are doing wrong and what you are doing right.  And I know that we are our own worst critics… so I have to take it with a grain of salt, too!

Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Videos – Week 4

Video 1 the first “all about legs” sequence that I learned this week — the fancy step + old fashioned.  I think a couple of Old Fashioneds beforehand might have improved my form… but also may have been my undoing!  It was fun, though, and turned out to be my favorite!

Video 2 also “all about legs” – Kentucky Loop and Wagon Wheel.  This is me the least graceful that I can imagine.  A Hippo in a tutu might have more grace. (No, she definitely did in Fantasia!) But I got through it… and it gives me something to work on! And something to chuckle about… Like WHAT am I doing with that back leg? ( I know my Teacher is going to wonder the same thing!!!)

Video 4 of “all about legs” was the easiest for me to get —Calypsos and Shuffles 

Here is the slower version — because I think I needed to go slow to get it.. the next one is speeded up!

Video 5 of “all about legs” Calypsos and Shuffles – the faster version — not perfect, but making progress!

I was happy to get through this week — I didn’t get as much practice as I would have liked… that second covid vaccine left me feeling like I’d been hit by a tractor for a few days.  But stuff happens and I just have to take it in stride.  That is why I thought it would be important for me to post my videos… as imperfect as they are.  

My goal for next week is to practice the module every day, and also, just spend some time dancing.  So I will put on some music and freestyle every day as well.  

Until Next week!

–Tracy

Want to see more about my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge– and the AFC Academy & Carla Gover?

Recent Posts

JOIN ME ON TWITTER!

I had so much fun in my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging week 3!

And the best part, I can see that I am making progress.

My motto for this is “PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION.”  Because at 62, I decided I don’t need to be perfect. Or even come close to it!!

Week 3 is all about shuffles and slides!! It is a lot of fun. But took a lot to get my brain wrapped around the sequences.

Since this is only my 3rd week of formal dance training– of any sort– ..other than a couple of ballet lessons a zillion years ago… I’m going to give myself a break.

I’m going to do it, own it, and LOVE IT. . Even if it is only one small part. LOVE IT. Even if it is just for the way it makes me feel. LOVE IT. Even if just for the fact that I felt brave enough to try something …that someone once had put me down for. LOVE IT. Yeah baby!

So I practiced for at least an hour every day.  And I squeezed in some little tidbits of practice time here and there – in line at the market… making coffee, doing the dishes. 

And I enjoyed every moment!

Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Videos – Week 3

Video 1 the first shuffles and slides sequence that I learned this week — the calypso + back step slide.  Since I learned it first, I practiced it more… and you can tell.  This is the longest video — about a minute!

Video 2 also shuffles and slides– side slides + barnyards + chug behinds. This one was a little tougher… especially those awkward side slides… whew!

Only about half a minute long.

Video 3 of shuffles and slides — samanthas + turkeys.

I couldn’t quite wrap my head around this… and do it with the music. At not least when I was trying to video it. I would like to say that I don’t get nervous making videos … but in fact, I do…  This one is about 20 seconds.

This week, I was proud of myself for putting on my big girl dress and pushing myself to learn these sequences.  And for remembering that it is PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION that is important.

Because really, I just want to have a good time!

Hey — to see more about this super cool dress that I found… and to check out something else I am doing –Check out my last blog post HERE!

Want to see more about my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge– and the AFC Academy & Carla Gover?

Recent Posts

JOIN ME ON TWITTER!