Dear Florida Clogging Council:
With this letter, I nominate Dalita Diaz de Arce for induction into the Florida Clogging Hall of Fame.
Dalita was a tap, jazz and ballet dance student (also---little known fact, she was a belly dancer!) when she signed up for her first clogging classes at JamCo, and joined SoundStage--Andy Howard's clogging studio in Gainesville, FL.
Fast forward to 2019, and Dalita has opened a dance studio in the small community of Lake City, Florida. Dalita has led her own group, Southern Rhythm Cloggers, to national champion titles and gives the youth of Lake City an opportunity to travel, express themselves creatively, take on leadership in the team, and even choreograph and teach. The Southern Rhythm Clogging team is more than a decade strong and an important part of civic life in Lake City and North Florida.
As a member of SoundStage and American Racket, Dalita has performed in Costa Rica, Brazil (twice!) and South Korea and has shared stages with the likes of Bill Cosby, Sister Hazel, Tom Brokaw, and more. She is a member of the All-American Clogging Team of the American Clogging Hall of Fame organization, and was also inducted into the team of the decade. In 2019, Dalita became a N.C.H.C. clogging competition judge. She teaches workshops in Florida, but also beyond. She has volunteered as an instructor in the National Clogging Convention's EXPOSE program, and every year--her opportunities expand because people recognize her passion for clogging.
The Southern Rhythm Cloggers have performed all over Florida--from Disney, to Downtown Get Downs in Tallahassee, and Bluegrass Festivals all over North Florida--and beyond. Her group has been invited to represent "Championship Cloggers" at Silver Dollar City, and fulfilled that responsibility to great acclaim.
Dalita is an important part of the Florida Clogging community. She can be counted on to teach or support workshops--and she is a friend to many. Dalita is also a rare force in her commitment to teaching youth to clog and her students know her as a mentor, role model and a friend.
Dalita and her group promote traditional clogging styles that are often forgotten--hoedowns, running sets, couple precision dances and more. Dalita's efforts make sure that these styles carry on for audiences, but also the many youth members of Dalita's program.
Please join me in recognizing Dalita's accomplishments, and please consider inducting her into the Florida Clogging Hall of Fame. I am very proud to call Dalita one of my very best friends--and I am so proud of her passion and her many accomplishments. And, most importantly, I look forward to many more clogging adventures together with the rest of our clogging family.
Andy Howard
