The floor at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center bounced, shook and rang with clickety-clicks as more than 2,000 cloggers put it to the test Friday.

        The 17th annual National Clogging Convention attracts cloggers from across the nation, Canada and Australia, Susan Phillips, the convention's marketing director, said.

        The convention, which runs through Sunday, is a family-oriented gathering for ages 4 and up held every Thanksgiving weekend at a different location. Clogging has some of its roots in Irish step dancing and is related closely to Canadian step dancing, flat footing and dulcimer, said Blake Bartlett, 24, of Atlanta, an Irish step dance instructor. But there are differences in the music, timing and rhythm. Also, feet are turned in for Irish step, and out for clogging.

        There will be competitions for both clogging and international dance this weekend. A&E, the Arts & Entertainment Network, is in town to tape the competitions for broadcast in December.

        The clogging tradition has passed down four generations to Roxanne Adams, 48, of Grayson, Ky., who was wearing a Hard Rock Clogger T-shirt.

        Ms. Adams said she is so dedicated to clogging that she had a large dance pad installed in her barn. “I have my immediate family and my clogging family,” Ms. Adams said. “It's kind of a second family; it's a connection that brings you together.”

        Jean Dentino, 84, of Pekin, Ill., was clogging in the intermediate class on Friday.

        Ms. Dentino said she had a background in tap dancing and began clogging in 1978. She said it was easier to learn clogging because she knew how to tap dance.

        “It's a good aerobic workout,” she said.

        Jennifer Marshall, 19, of Carrollton, Ga., said she started clogging about age 7, when an older cousin introduced her to it.

        “It's easier to pick up when you're younger,” Ms. Marshall said.

        Ms. Marshall, who will be competing today with a team of 15 cloggers, said she normally practices about two hours a week, and more when a competition or show is scheduled.

        “I get to go travel all over the place and meet people I wouldn't normally meet,” she said.

        Leona Miller, 58, of Jonesboro, Ark., said she has been clogging for 20 years and has been to the last 10 conventions because of the fellowship. “We just have a good time,” she said. “If you take the fun out of it, then it's work.”

        Barry Fayne, 48, of Birmingham, Ala., a clogging instructor for 18 years, said fewer men are clogging now and that it used to be mandatory to have a partner when clogging.

        Most of the males who dance now are strong dancers, Mr. Fayne said, and many go on to become instructors.

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