Clogging, a old dancing style where you rhythmically stomp your feet, is a revered Appalachian tradition. At Virginia Tech, a school nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains, it seems that the tradition is alive and well.
Just last month, Hokie quarterback Marcus Vick made national news with his stomp of Louisville All-American Elvis Dumerville. While Vick’s stomp wasn’t terribly rhythmic, it did manage to excite quite a few people in and out of the greater Blacksburg area. Sadly for folk dance aficionados, Vick was kicked out of school shortly after his clogging routine, so we’ll have to wait until he surfaces in the NFL or on CNN to see what new moves he’s added to his repertoire.
But don’t fret! The stomping tradition isn’t dead yet. Marcus Vick may be gone, but his memory lingers, thanks in no small part to Virginia Tech basketball player Deron Washington. In tonight’s nationally televised game against Duke, Washington performed a mini-jig on the ugly mug of Duke forward Lee Melchionni while Melchionni was threateningly lying prone with his arms held outstretched. Unlike young Ron New Mexico, Washington made some effort to make his stomp seem accidental, but alas, no one fell for it. Washington was ejected by the refs who apparently are unaware or unappreciative of the region’s grand folk history.