| May/June Feature Team: The Little Switzerland Cloggers |
The Little Switzerland Cloggers were founded in 1989. The group
began learning beginner and intermediate routines under the
instruction of Debbie Worrell. The early practices were held at the old
Burnsville School in Burnsville, Virginia.
In the early 90’s, the LSC moved to McDowell, Virginia to the
Stonewall Ruritan Building, formerly the McDowell Primary School.
Being an old school building the set up was perfect for the now three
levels of LSC, the beginners, intermediates, and advanced groups. At
this time some of our advanced routines includes steps such as Chains
and Buckin’ Wings and were performed to such songs as “Rockin’
Robin”, “Fiddlin’ Man” and “Cry, Cry, Cry”. The LSC continued to
entertain audiences at lawn parties and local festivals and fairs.
A few years later, LSC said good bye to practices at the Stonewall
Ruritan Building and made a jump across the street to the McDowell
Fire Department. The LSC settled down there for about 10 years passing
through a couple different instructors including Elaine "Sissy" Miller,
Debbie Halterman, Lori Botkin & Debbie Cornelius (temp instructors),
Lisa Johnson, and Dorothy Stephenson.
In 1999, the Little Switzerland Cloggers attended their first
exhibition at the Spring Fling in Pigeon Forge, TN at the Grand Resort.
Sherry West of the Tennessee Hoedowners came to teach 10 of LSC's
advanced cloggers a routine to "Everybody Dance Now". The team of
dancers then traveled to Tennessee in March of 1999 and attended the
workshop and competition. This was their first taste of competitive
clogging. A nervous and excited group took the stage competing under
the Exhibition category. Though the team did not place, the experience
was trophy enough. Those dancers included Shelly Roberts, Dorothy
Stephenson, Sarah Harman, Shelly Triplett, Tiffany Hotz, Jason
Triplett, Deidre Hiner, Kari Botkin, Elizabeth Botkin and Katie
Cornelius.
With the new millennium, came a new instructor. Lisa Johnson of
Augusta County came to the Little Switzerland Cloggers in 2000
bringing with her a new and more modern way of clogging. Lisa brought
styles of Buck, Canadian and Modern Clogging to the group. Soon after
Lisa’s arrival the Little Switzerland Cloggers were asked to perform at
the Miss Virginia Preliminaries. LSC opened the pageant with a routine
to Britney Spear’s “Crazy”. As the song ended, group members posed on
stage as the lovely Miss Virginia contestants strolled in. During judge’
s deliberations, a performance of “Dirty Pop” by N’Sync was given by the
group.
In 2001, the LSC, still under the instruction of Lisa Johnson,
went to the first annual Clog Attack in Suffolk, VA. The group took
first in the two categories they competing in with "Rocky Top" in the
Hoedown category and "Dirty Pop" by N'Sync in the Line category. LSC
also took home the title of Novice Grand Champions. Many of our
dancers competed individually for the first time at the Clog Attack.
In 2003 and 2005, Little Switzerland traveled to Radford, VA to
attended the Radford Univeristy Clogging Workshop and Showcase. In
2003, Lisa Johnson took the LSC to Radford and 2005 marked Dorothy
Stephenson's first year.
In 2003, we also started attending the Potomac Double Down in
Haymarket, VA. Hosted by the Bull Run Cloggers, this workshop is held
in a school building and it is a great workshop to go to.
March of 2005 brought another change in instructor. Lisa Johnson
had to make the hard decision to leave Little Switzerland. Stepping up
into her place was veteran LSC member Dorothy Stephenson, who had
been with the group since their first practices at the old Burnsville
School building. Dorothy continued the style of her mentor, Lisa,
performing modern clogging as well as the traditional styles that
everyone loved.
During the Spring of 2006, the LSC was growing and needing more
space. We loved our home and family at the McDowell Fire Department
but we found a new space at The Highland Center in Monterey. So in
May 2006 off we went once more. Later that year, the group decided to
make one more change making Dorothy Stephenson sole Business
Manager and Director of the group.
The Little Switzerland Cloggers entertain to all different genres of
music including country, blue grass, pop and rock. We currently have
about 15-20 cloggers and perform in the local Virginia area, as well as
West Virginia. Several of our members compete in the American
Clogging Hall of Fame competitive circuit and have won several group
and individual honors. Above all, the Little Switzerland Cloggers love
to perform, entertain, and wow their audiences!
began learning beginner and intermediate routines under the
instruction of Debbie Worrell. The early practices were held at the old
Burnsville School in Burnsville, Virginia.
In the early 90’s, the LSC moved to McDowell, Virginia to the
Stonewall Ruritan Building, formerly the McDowell Primary School.
Being an old school building the set up was perfect for the now three
levels of LSC, the beginners, intermediates, and advanced groups. At
this time some of our advanced routines includes steps such as Chains
and Buckin’ Wings and were performed to such songs as “Rockin’
Robin”, “Fiddlin’ Man” and “Cry, Cry, Cry”. The LSC continued to
entertain audiences at lawn parties and local festivals and fairs.
A few years later, LSC said good bye to practices at the Stonewall
Ruritan Building and made a jump across the street to the McDowell
Fire Department. The LSC settled down there for about 10 years passing
through a couple different instructors including Elaine "Sissy" Miller,
Debbie Halterman, Lori Botkin & Debbie Cornelius (temp instructors),
Lisa Johnson, and Dorothy Stephenson.
In 1999, the Little Switzerland Cloggers attended their first
exhibition at the Spring Fling in Pigeon Forge, TN at the Grand Resort.
Sherry West of the Tennessee Hoedowners came to teach 10 of LSC's
advanced cloggers a routine to "Everybody Dance Now". The team of
dancers then traveled to Tennessee in March of 1999 and attended the
workshop and competition. This was their first taste of competitive
clogging. A nervous and excited group took the stage competing under
the Exhibition category. Though the team did not place, the experience
was trophy enough. Those dancers included Shelly Roberts, Dorothy
Stephenson, Sarah Harman, Shelly Triplett, Tiffany Hotz, Jason
Triplett, Deidre Hiner, Kari Botkin, Elizabeth Botkin and Katie
Cornelius.
With the new millennium, came a new instructor. Lisa Johnson of
Augusta County came to the Little Switzerland Cloggers in 2000
bringing with her a new and more modern way of clogging. Lisa brought
styles of Buck, Canadian and Modern Clogging to the group. Soon after
Lisa’s arrival the Little Switzerland Cloggers were asked to perform at
the Miss Virginia Preliminaries. LSC opened the pageant with a routine
to Britney Spear’s “Crazy”. As the song ended, group members posed on
stage as the lovely Miss Virginia contestants strolled in. During judge’
s deliberations, a performance of “Dirty Pop” by N’Sync was given by the
group.
In 2001, the LSC, still under the instruction of Lisa Johnson,
went to the first annual Clog Attack in Suffolk, VA. The group took
first in the two categories they competing in with "Rocky Top" in the
Hoedown category and "Dirty Pop" by N'Sync in the Line category. LSC
also took home the title of Novice Grand Champions. Many of our
dancers competed individually for the first time at the Clog Attack.
In 2003 and 2005, Little Switzerland traveled to Radford, VA to
attended the Radford Univeristy Clogging Workshop and Showcase. In
2003, Lisa Johnson took the LSC to Radford and 2005 marked Dorothy
Stephenson's first year.
In 2003, we also started attending the Potomac Double Down in
Haymarket, VA. Hosted by the Bull Run Cloggers, this workshop is held
in a school building and it is a great workshop to go to.
March of 2005 brought another change in instructor. Lisa Johnson
had to make the hard decision to leave Little Switzerland. Stepping up
into her place was veteran LSC member Dorothy Stephenson, who had
been with the group since their first practices at the old Burnsville
School building. Dorothy continued the style of her mentor, Lisa,
performing modern clogging as well as the traditional styles that
everyone loved.
During the Spring of 2006, the LSC was growing and needing more
space. We loved our home and family at the McDowell Fire Department
but we found a new space at The Highland Center in Monterey. So in
May 2006 off we went once more. Later that year, the group decided to
make one more change making Dorothy Stephenson sole Business
Manager and Director of the group.
The Little Switzerland Cloggers entertain to all different genres of
music including country, blue grass, pop and rock. We currently have
about 15-20 cloggers and perform in the local Virginia area, as well as
West Virginia. Several of our members compete in the American
Clogging Hall of Fame competitive circuit and have won several group
and individual honors. Above all, the Little Switzerland Cloggers love
to perform, entertain, and wow their audiences!
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Dorothy Stephenson Director, Instructor and Choreographer |
Welcome
Cloggers!
Cloggers!
| Site Maintained By: |
| The Sundance Studio Home of the Sundance Express |
