| History of the Grand River Cloggers We were first known in the studio as "the cloggers." Our first demo was in April of 1998 when Tina (Ronson) married Keith Curtis and the cloggers entertained the guests. As the years have gone on and the more interest it sparked many students have come out to learn how to clog. After a group discussion and a vote the name "Grand River Cloggers" became the official group name. The name comes from the cities main water source, the Grand River. This river and its tributaries flow through the many towns and villages where many of our cloggers reside; Brantford, Paris, Ayr, Cambridge, Kitchener, St. George and Burford. In September of 2001, the classes were moved to a local Parks and Recreation facility to accommodate the growing number of cloggers. The demo group has performed at numerous events over the years including Christmas parties, grand openings, local festivals, retirement and nursing homes, and private parties. At the present time our demo team consists of over twenty dedicated individuals who always give there 100% while performing for the enjoyment of others. It s this group who have made the Grand River Cloggers well known in our hometown, Brantford. Classes continue to grow each year with a total of more than 100 students taking lessons in the last season. The group ranges in age from teenagers to the young at heart (60+). Tina also teaches a group of adults who range in age from 50- 80+. They are known as the Beckett Cloggers. The Beckett Cloggers Tina began teaching the Beckett Cloggers in September 2000. Over the years these cloggers have performed all around. They have performed for local events at the Beckett Building including Oktoberfest celebrations, Drama Club productions,& the Open house for the renaming of the center. They also venture out of town entertaining for Nursing & Retirement homes as well as local venues. This year they also entertained at the Paris Fair for Seniors Day. Over the years the ladies have participated in the Seniors Jubilee hosted by the Royal Bank at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto. They have also danced many times at the 50+ Workshop hosted by a variety of groups in the Hamilton/Ancaster/Oakville region. This dedicated group dances every Wednesday morning from 10 am – 11 am all year round! Last Spring a new group of beginners began on Wednesdays as well from 9 am - 10 am. Not just anyone can be a “Beckett Clogger” ! You need to be at least 50 years young to join the group! This group ranges in age from 50 – 76 years young! Classes are held at the Beckett Adult & Leisure Centre – Activities for the 50 +. Keep your eyes open for this “young at heart” group! Our main goal is for everyone to enjoy themselves in a relaxed and fun atmosphere while learning a skill and keeping fit at the same time. |
