Cloggers and Dancers of the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers

Sarah

SARAH loved the square dancing unit in 4th grade. Even though she grew up in North Carolina, she was first inspired to clog at a barn dance and potluck wedding in Iowa. She danced with the Geese in 2002-2003, and in April 2008 she rejoined the flock. Sarah loves wearing pretty dresses. More importantly she met her husband and many of her dearest friends through clogging and square dancing. She loves being a part of this community who make music and dance together.

Anna

ANNA joined the Geese in October of 2009. She grew up in Minneapolis and loved to tap dance as a girl. Since then she’s been known to break out in tap on a hardwood floor. When she’s not practicing Appalachian clogging with the Geese, she enjoys dancing with her son Del, along with her husband Kevin on banjo. Anna also likes to get out on the town and hear all kinds of live music.

Laura

LAURA spent her formative years playing with her doll house, coloring and tap dancing. She has since retired the doll house, but still loves art and all things dance. Laura has been a member of the Geese since 2010 and is thrilled to get to partake.

Colleen

COLLEEN grew up with the Chicago Irish. She was taught to stand on her toes, kick high, and leap gracefully all while her upper body did nothing but stay rigid and obedient. When Colleen’s upper body moved to Minneapolis, it threw her curly wig on the ground upon the discovery of clogging. Now, it is able to loosen up and enjoy moving to music as it pleases. She has been with the Geese since the winter of 2014, and is especially fond of being able to perform for a wide variety of events and audiences with the greatest flock.

Sienna

SIENNA has loved performing ever since her debut performance as Mary Poppins in her third grade production of the same name. When going to school in Western Minnesota, she attended Moosejaw for the first time. Ever since, she has been planning her life around the question of “when is the next square dance?” whether it be in Finland, MN, a small town in Vermont, or somewhere in North Carolina. Sienna also likes singing and knows how to assist in a goat birth.

Alice

ALICE grew up in Wisconsin, then moved to Oregon for college where she fell in love with Salsa and Ballroom dancing. She moved back to the Midwest for grad school and met her husband, Lem, in MN. Through their love of Old Time Music they discovered an interest in clogging, which led them to the Geese. When she’s not clogging, Alice enjoys reading, bicycling, hiking, running the occasional marathon, and being active with her two young kids.

Jim B

“Dr. B” is the senior member of the Geese and is its longstanding “fearless leader”. As such, he is responsible for coordinating the public appearances of the cloggers, including organizing the overseas tours for the group. He has choreographed many of the dances in the Geese’s repertoire. “I have been with the group for many years and I continue to be impressed with how audiences love to watch us perform. I think that we have been able to spread the love of clogging throughout the Midwest and in many parts of the world”. Jim also choreographs and calls Contra Dances in the Twin Cities and sings with The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company.

John

JOHN, born in the frigid period of 1981, grew up in the great city of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was fortunate enough to have been birthed of the Folk community therein. The son of two Wild Goose Chase Cloggers, and having made his first onstage appearance at the ripe old age of about -5 months, you could say that clogging is in his blood. After a brief, and squandered hiatus, he found his way back to where he belongs. “Thank you, Mom and Dad, for always knowing that this would someday make me so happy!”

Patrick

PATRICK grew up in rural Minnesota. He moved out East for college and moved out West for work, but he moved back home just in time to dance. Boxes barely unpacked, Patrick happened to see The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers dance on the stage of First Avenue. The next day he signed up for clogging lessons. He’s found that waiting for city buses has turned out to be a perfect time to practice a step or two, especially on cold winter days to keep warm.

Lem

Raised in the hills of East Tennessee, LEM grew up a fiddler (and violinist, but don’t tell anyone), playing and performing at various jamborees and festivals in the state. He moved to Minnesota in 2008 for his career, and soon met his wife and started a family. He only recently started clogging through the Minneappalachian Clogging School. He is excited to extend his love of old time music to dance.

Andy

Where did ANDY grow up? Well….he hasn’t picked a place yet…..but he was born in a suburb of Minneapolis. Andy realized early on in life that he was not meant for a suburban existence, and as soon as he was able he moved out to the country. He’s currently working on rehabilitating a small farm and would love it if the only thing that brought him into the city was to come practice and perform with the “Geese.” Being fairly “green” with Appalachian Clogging and Old Time Music, Andy was “purple” with excitement when the Geese welcomed him into their flock in January 2017. Andy believes the Geese took him in because he wore britches and suspenders to auditions. They weren’t polka-dot suspenders, but they did the job.

Nico

NICO (on the right) is French and makes jokes only Llamas understand.