Just a quick question for anyone who knows the answer--what is the difference between tapping and clogging? Which is more complicated?

Tap is a uniquely American art form that was, at its conception, influenced by many different rhythms and dances. Clogging was one of the styles of dance that significantly influenced Tap.

Both genre have their own intricacies, so you cannot compare them as which one is more complicated. Also, since clogging influenced Tap there are many movements that carried over.

Speaking from a Tap dancer's perspective, Tap dance is focused significantly on musical swing with its rhythms, as American Tap Dance and Jazz Music were both evolving at the same time and are very closely related.

Clogging, I would assume, takes its musical cues and interpretation from traditional irish and english music considering that is where it developed.

It all comes down to preference.

A real clogger is going to be able to provide more detailed information, but here are some of the differences my clogging friends have told me:

a) Historical background - tap is supposedly an irish/jazz fusion whereas clogging is from Alpaccian Mountains (massive apologies if that first word is spelt wrong I only ever remember that it sounds like 'Alpaca')

b) Differences in up-beats and down-beats (I've been told clogging focuses on the latter)

c) Differences in structure - tap is a bit more 'choreographed' in the sense that a teacher teaches the routine from top to bottom, whereas clogging appears to have a 'syllabus' (possibly also syllabi) of recognised 'steps' that are verbally signposted via 'cues'. So if you know x number of steps, then the teacher calls out 'cues' as you go and you just follow those. It means cloggers can cover multiple routines in one class, even if they're all 'new'

d) Differences in instrument - cloggers use a similar shoe but the tap itself has a metal bar across the middle so the tap kind of moves back and forth, like a mini see-saw.

e) Differences in terminology - I think a 'shuffle' is referred to in clogging as a double-step? Or something like that...

f) Reportedly, differences in music. Although as tap teachers begin to adapt their music choices to more contemporary ones I'd imagine this is becoming less prevalent

g) Differences in ankle elevation. Clogging is executed quite flat-footed and against the style of tap I've been trained in, I really feel the difference. This may not be such a difference if you've been trained in a flat-footed style of tap though - and they do exist.


In terms of complication, I agree with Marty that this is very hard to determine because they have marked differences.

Because I have been a clogger for pretty much my entire dance career, I can think of about 2-3 things to tell the difference. And if any other cloggers out there can think of anything to add that I missed, or that you thought of, please add to it.

1. On a tap shoe, there is only one tap on the toe, and the heel of the shoe. In clogging, there is a double tap on the toe and heel. This is the main way that you can tell the shoes apart. And because of the taps, the shoes also sound different once you start dancing in them.

2. Clogging is on the down beat, and tap is on the up beat.

3. Clogging originated in the Appalachian Mountains from Irish and English immigrants who brought over their social dances. This is eventually where tap was derived from, along with putting in some of the movements from African dances.

I know that there is probably more than just what I wrote. But those are the main things that I can think of to explain the differences between tap and clogging. Hope that it helped!

Ah-hah! I thought of something else.

In clogging, you focus your weight in the heels of your feet, although that's not where all the sound comes from. Where as in tap, your weight is primarily in the balls of your feet.

Terms are also different from each genre. A double-step, or single, would be two shuffles and a step on the same foot. (Sorry if that's confusing, but it's the best way I can explain it.) So you would do a shuffle forward, a shuffle back, and then step on that foot.

If you want, you can look up Kerriclogs on Youtube. She does a really good job of showing some common clogging steps. And she also breaks them down, and explains them a lot better than I can.

The main thing that i can think of is that with clogging your weight is a little further back and your feet tap in front of your body primarily where with tap you keep your center of gravity OVER your feet.

I have always been taught that the main differnce between tap dancing and clogging is that tap dancers put their emphasis on the shuffle of a step and cloggers put their emphasis on the stomp.

Take what cloggers call a "basic" and tap dancers call...I think...a "shuffle ball change" or a "ball change"

When you count it in clogging it goes "and a ONE and TWO"
And a is ...well I don't know exactly what you call it, you hit your front tap, on the ball of your foot, going back and then frontwards. I guess it is a shuffle to tap dancers. and then the actual count, the ONE, is when you set your foot back down and put weight on it.

As for which one's more complicated, I have been a clogger for like 9 years, so I'm going to say tap is more complicated, but in all honesty I think it is all dancing, and therefore not really more complicated...just different.

And I really have no idea about the musical connection differences.

i know there was a form of clogging that started in the mills up north in the u.k i think the workers would tap their feet to the sound of the machines and it became so popular they would hold clog dancing competitions this was the early part of the 20th century circa 1900.
annie x