Texan offering free clog lessons at Red Barn

An ex-Texan has started up free clog dancing lessons in Baie d’Urfé and is looking for people who want to have some fun and learn a new step or two towards staying healthy.

Kitty Wilkes moved to Baie d’Urfé about two years ago and the former professional clog dancer and instructor decided to form a group in the West Island after realizing there wasn’t one around. She presented the idea to members of her Beaconsfield Newcomers Club, pointing out she started clog dancing over 20 years ago, and after a few expressed interest, she ran the first of twice-weekly courses last month. “It’s for fun and exercise and for people who want to share – and dance,” Wilkes said of her classes.

Clog dancing is an American folk dance from the region of the Appalachian Mountains, with roots in the traditional step dances brought to North America by European settlers, and is described as a cross between tap dance, square dance and Irish step dancing. All the steps have names and are taught by breaking each step into easy parts. The different steps are then put together into a choreographed and cued routine, danced usually either in a line or a circle, Wilkes said. “The dance has evolved over centuries,” she said. “Some steps were even influenced by slaves and Indians in the area and a blend of all the settlers there.” “It’s big in Texas and more in the south-east part of the States,” Wilkes said of general interest in clog dancing. “It’s not that well known here. But there are clog groups out West and in Vermont.”

Anyone is invited to join the group and a partner is not required. While the ability to tap or keep a beat is helpful, expertise in dancing is not a must, Wilkes pointed out. “It’s very easy to learn,” she added.

The music they clog to can be hip hop, rock to country, Wilkes said.

A regular at the clog courses from the start has been Judith Clark. The Beaconsfield resident highly recommends people give it try, stating it is an absolutely fun way to stay fit. “It looks like fun and it really is. I always enjoyed dancing as a social thing. You don’t even need a partner since we do it as a group,” she said. “It’s for anybody who enjoys meeting new people and learning new things and it’s a good way to maintain your health.”

Wilkes, who settled in Baie d’Urfé after living in China for some years as a result of her husband’s career movement, doesn’t speak French, she said it shouldn’t be a problem to train francophones who are not bilingual since she managed to teach clog dancing to people in China who couldn’t speak English.

The clog dancers meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 12 to 2 p.m. at the Red Barn, 20609 Lakeshore Dr.

For more information, contact Wilkes at 514-457-9049 or kitty.wilkes@gmail.com.