Pat Tracey Clog Dancing: The Old Lancashire Toe and Heel Style

Lancashire Clog Dancing I, Pat Tracey, professionally filmed by Garland Films, England. On this video, Pat Tracey demonstrates some of the dances that developed in the industrial areas of East Lancashire in England in the early nineteenth century. These originated with the cotton weavers who danced in wooden soled clogs and are in the HEEL AND TOE tradition which is the earliest known style of clog dancing. Initially, they were danced by the weavers themselves for general entertainment but eventually found their way onto the Music Hall stage. Clog dancing is widely acknowledged as a forerunner of modern tap dancing. Pat, who comes from East Lancashire, learned the traditional style which was passed down to her through members of her family. The video shows three dance sequences performed in appropriate settings: 1) an EXHIBITION DANCE, 2) a CLOG SAILOR'S HORNPIPE and 3) a WEAVER'S OUTDOOR DANCE performed in iron-shod clogs. Each sequence is introduced by Pat with a brief explanation of the history and development of the dances. The dances have been filmed first in full length at performance speed and second in close-up.