Whether it’s The Florida Opry or Pioneer Days in Plant City, the thunderous sound of rhythmic footwork can be heard on the main stage from the popular Clogging Connection act. The local dance team is also a familiar sight in the competition ring. It won 15 awards June 7 at the Power All Star Challenge in Woodstock, Ga.
From five first-place awards to three grand champion awards, the team has a lot for which to be excited.
“One that we are especially proud of is our sportsmanship trophy,” Kelsey Bridges said.
Her daughter, Hannah Holm, has been part of Clogging Connection for less than a year but has collected a corner full of trophies and a lifetime of memories.
“This team brings our hometown’s welcome wherever we go, and it shows,” Bridges said. “There is a ton of feel good to this studio and team. Inside we have all become family and work extremely hard to perfect the talents of the students.”
Clogging Connection has been working hard for 24 years. The group started as an offshoot of Dance Connection, formerly Jackie’s Dance.
Co-Director Debbie Conn wasn’t a dancer but loved watching her son and daughter perform. When they got older, they left their first studio to form Clogging Connection in the late 1980s.
For about two years, Clogging Connection only performed at local events and venues. In 1990, the team started competing. Conn never expected the team to flourish.
There are 15 dancers on the team; the oldest is 45, and the youngest is 5. One dancer has been with the team since she was 4. Now she’s 25.
“We have a really good team,” Conn said. “It’s a family team. We have brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, grandchildren. It’s going strong.”
The team performs in about three competitions per year. She’s also added a junior team of younger children. The younger team has competed twice, winning Overall Rookie Team at both shows.
There is also an adult team and a young-adult team. But the dances come together for many routines.
“We all get along so well,” Conn said. “We travel together, we go to each others weddings and baby showers. It’s been going pretty good.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.