Developing a clog dance for Weardale

Weardale Together have received a community grant from the North Pennines National Landscape team, through the Land of Lead and Silver project, to develop a ‘Clog Dance for Weardale’.

Bringing together the traditional folk arts of clog dancing and music that once thrived in local mining communities, the group will film a newly choreographed clog dance performance at key sites of mining heritage across Weardale and create a short video.

The dance choreography will be a collaboration between The Gillows, a local family of traditional dancers and musicians, and Hollie from Weardale Together, whose background is in dance. The new dance will be inspired by the rhythms, movements and physicality of mining life, reflecting the repetitive labour, the rugged terrain, and the communal spirit of the time.

The music comes from the Weardale Collection, a recently discovered archive of traditional tunes which would have been played in and around mining communities. It will be brought to life and recorded by youth folk band, Wear’d Aliens, in partnership with Music in the Heart of Teesdale, who will facilitate the recording and mastering of the track.

A series of clog dance workshops, open to all ages and abilities, will be held to introduce people to the new choreography and its cultural roots. You can book a place on a workshop here.

Participants will also be invited to perform the piece live at the Winter Wassail event in January 2026, accompanied by The Gillows and live music.

The film will highlight both the cultural and physical landscape of the historically important mining locations. As part of the creative process, memories, traditions and stories from participants and local people will be collected to root the piece in the social and cultural life that surrounded the mines, encouraging intergenerational exchange and local pride in Weardale’s heritage.

Weardale Together is a grassroots community organisation that brings people together through creative, social and wellbeing activities. The group support people of all ages and aim to reduce isolation and strengthen community connections. Regular work includes the Root & Branch Community Café, youth club sessions, arts and heritage events, and seasonal celebrations, delivered in collaboration with local artists, volunteers and residents.

The Land of Lead and Silver project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, and Historic England.