Time to review our clogging vocabulary! Today's focus is a common clogging noun: fill-in. Synonyms include: sub, float, stand-in, replacement.

You're probably thinking something like this:

That's not a special clogging word! Folks use it all the time in regular life!

You are mistaken.

The online dictionary I consulted lists a brief, perfunctory definition that doesn't come close to describing the role of a fill-in on a clogging team.

Here's MY definition:

Fill-in (noun): An unsung hero of the clogging world, a fill-in is that valuable dancer who learns and remembers every part in a routine and is capable of switching roles at a moment's notice to take over for an absent or injured teammate.

See? It IS a special clogging term!

A common trait among fill-ins is a total absence of whining. He or she is may be capable of clogging the most showy role in a routine but will cheerfully dance the background spot when called upon to do so.

A fill-in allows the team to perform dances such as precisions,  hoedowns, and moving lines without the need to cut a couple or adjust formations.

The best fill-ins leave the audience absolutely clueless that a fill-in was used! 

If your team has a clogger who frequently serves as fill-in, make sure this team MVP gets some recognition! If your team is in need of a fill-in, maybe YOU can start learning both the "boy" and "girl" roles in a routine!

Fancy Free is fortunate to have TWO amazing dancers who possess the skill and mental agility to learn pretty much every part in every dance we do. THANK YOU, BOB AND SABRENA! (Maybe it's a hereditary thing - they are father & daughter!)

What word would YOU add to the Clogger's Dictionary?

***I am collecting info for a future article or blog post series about how clogging teams got their names. If your team name has a good story behind it, email me at: sheilajospencer@gmail.com